The Nigeria Police Force on Friday said its personnel have the right to break into any house suspected of being a hideout for criminals without the issuance of a search warrant from appropriate authorities.
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The Force’s Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, said while responding to an inquiry on if the police can break into people’s houses without a search warrant.
Adejobi explained that it is not in all situations that a warrant is needed before police officers can exercise their power to search a house.
“Sir please What’s work of central police station? Why minor fighting case be transferred to SARS? And is it legal for Anti cultism squad to break in to apartment without search warrants or any case reported?” a Twitter user, Man’O’War asked the Force PPRO.
Reacting to this, he said, “There is a difference between breaking into a house and having search warrant. The police have the power to break in and out of a house if they reasonably believe crime is being committed therein or criminals hide in the house once the team is led by an SPO (ASP and above).
Sir please What’s work of central police station? Why minor fighting case be transferred to SARS? And is it legal for Anti cultism squad to break in to apartment without search warrants or any case reported?
— Man O’War (@dereal_ayo22) January 12, 2023
“Also, not in all cases, we need any warrant to arrest or search. If an offence is committed in d presence of the police, no warrant needed to arrest, and if policemen pursue by suspects into a house, they dont need any warrant to search that house. They can search without warrant, recover items, and make the suspects or whoever present at the scene to witness or countersign whatever they recover in the house, and such stands. So, in most cases, the issue of warrant m, either search or arrest, is circumstantial.”
“But, the police have many powers, authorities, and privileges when it comes to crime control and enforcement of laws. So, let’s be guided. Ire o,” he added.
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