From left: Founder, NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, Police AIG Zone 2, Mohammed Ari Ali and Deputy National President of NAGAFF, headquarters, Simeon Nwonu during the visit of the newly posted AIG to NAGAFF headquarters, Apapa, Tuesday.

Assistant Inspector General of Police AIG in charge of Zone 2, which covers Lagos and Ogun States, Mohammed Ari Ali has urged Nigerians to resist any attempt by officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to search their phones on the road, saying that no law permits them to do that and therefore it is illegal.

The AIG has also foreclosed any plan by the Police Force to deploy its officers and men to the seaports and border stations to partake in cargo inspection alongside the Nigeria Customs Service and other designated government agencies that inspect imports and exports, insisting that the Police is focused on delivering on its constitutional function of providing internal security and protecting lives and property of the citizens.

Speaking during a working visit to the Apapa GRA, Lagos headquarters of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF Tuesday, AIG Ali said it was illegal and a breach of the right to privacy of the citizens for any Police officer to demand to search the phones of the citizens on roadblocks or stop-and-search scenes.

Recall that Freight Forwarders, Customs Agents and general port stakeholders had gathered in their numbers to lament the inhuman treatments they receive from officers and men of the force ranging from blocking of containers at the seaports, detention of containers already released from the ports, illegal detention of agents seen with clearing documents for as much as 15 days and beyond and searching of their phones for possible incriminating materials or evidences, among several others.

The AIG however noted that there are circumstances or situations where the Police could demand to search the phones of someone, which is where there is a defined case of crime against the suspect or suspects and that it has to be at the Police Station.

“No Police officer has the right to search your phones on the road, especially when there is no defined crime allegation or case against you. However, your phones could be searched only when there is a defined crime allegation against you but it has to be at the Police Station not on the road, if not resist it strongly resist it”, AIG Ali urged Nigerians.

While fielding questions as to whether the force was contemplating participation in cargo inspection alongside Customs and other agencies, the AIG said there was no plan for such, insisting that the task of securing Nigeria is very enormous, especially at this time, given the security situation in the country.

He however noted that the Police would not close its eyes when it comes to preventing crimes, saying that the force would always play its constitutionally assigned roles of protecting lives and property and prevention of crimes as much as possible.

He said: “Police have no role in cargo clearance but if there are issues that border on crimes, we will have to come in. Back then, we arrested a truck laden with Pump Action guns, which had already been cleared from the ports, I think it was under Ehindero as the Inspector General of Police, so we will not close our eyes to such in the name of saying that we will not dabble into cargo clearing.”

He also told the stakeholders that the Police have no right to detain anyone beyond 24 hours, insisting that if it must go beyond 24 hours, it has to be by the order of the court, possibly to enhance investigation.

The AIG, while speaking on his long- standing relationship with the founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, which dates back when he was Area Commander in Apapa Area B, described him as a visionary, utility leader and an amiable friend ‘in whom he is well pleased’.

He noted that the engagement with the stakeholders was Community Policing in action, which he said is one of the dividends of democracy, urging members of the public to report all suspicious persons and happenings to the Police, arguing that the Police cannot police the country alone without the support and cooperation of everyone.

Meanwhile, Dr. Aniebonam, who also spoke at the event, traced his relationship with AIG Ali to the early days of the NAGAFF, when the then Area Commander of Area B, Apapa, Hassan Bala was instigated by some rival associations to stop the inauguration of the association, which he turned down, having seen the incorporation documents of the association.

He commended the AIG for being diligent and effective officer, noting that his official visit to NAGAFF was to celebrate him, and urged him to remain diligent and defender of truth and honesty and prayed God to take him to the peak of his career.