POLICE BRUTALITY :Man faints after he was beaten by a policeman, because he refused to allow him access to his phone.

Police brutality and invasion of citizens privacy have become the new act of misconduct among the Nigerian police. Several cases have be reported where arm police officers use their guns to threaten and obtain innocent citizens of their rightful possessions.

The to the latest reports circulating on the internet, a Nigerian man fainted after he was slapped on the head by a angry police officer for depriving the police officer from checking his phone and also refusing to be dragged to Adugboluja Police Station.

According to the report that surfaced on the internet, the police brutality incident occurred at Ojodu Abiodun when the officer couldn’t access the mobile device because it required a passcode and the man refused to provide the code when the officer asked for it.

The angry policeman then hit the victim on the head multiple times and he lost consciousness. The victim was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital by onlookers.

 Few months ago, the Nigerian police said that it is wrong for any police officer to request for citizens’ phone. The police said officers,whether on duty or not, have no right under the law to search mobile phones  of citizens.

The Lagos state police spokesperson Dolapo Badmus in a video addressing police brutality on Nigerians, said that phones are private belonging and citizens deserve a right to their privacy, and that no police officer is allowed to ask for phones while on routine checks.
Badmus said:

“Everyone is entitled to their privacy, and your phone is your private property, it’s your private property because people do a lot of private stuffs on their mobile phones so it’s wrong for your phones to be checked by a police officer, Whether on duty or not. 
“The police have no right to do that except there is a reasonable ground to do so”

The assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone II Kayode Aderanti also delivered a stern warning to police against police brutality, harassment of Nigerians and invasion of privacy.

Aderanti said:

“As we speak, the commissioners of police in Lagos State and Ogun State in collaboration with the inspector general of police, are working with the anti-kidnapping unit.

“Recently, there have been an increase in cultism activities here in Lagos and I charge policemen to take up the responsibility and ensure that these cultist practices are reduced to the barest minimum.

“Illegal duty and police brutality  has reached an alarming proportion and is highly unprofessional and uncalled for. It needs to be nipped in the bud. Some of them operate in unmarked vehicles, harassing innocent people and searching through their phones. That must stop as violators will be brought to book.

“The present Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has no tolerance for corruption and unauthorized activities of officers. 

"It is not lawful for officers to requests money for bail or to register people’s complaints, whoever is found guilty of this, is on his own and they will be tackled appropriately. No officer should demand gratification from members of the public.”