iDeemlawfulLagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has reaffirmed that no police officer in the state is permitted to search the mobile phones of residents.
Jimoh, in a video posted online, insisted he still stands by the order, saying, “No policeman should search your phone on the road… I stand by that order.”
However, many Lagos residents have expressed scepticism about compliance, noting that the directive is often ignored by officers on the streets.
One X user shared a recent ordeal where he was allegedly forced to pay ₦50,000 to policemen who compelled him to unlock his phone. After finding nothing incriminating, the officers reportedly accused him of hiding “incriminating apps” before extorting the money.
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Watch him speak below:
The incident highlights the continued disconnect between official directives and on-ground police conduct in Lagos.
Many young Nigerians have become victims of phone searching as they are easily labelled fraudsters, popularly called Yahoo Boys.
A similar directive from the Police authorities telling Nigerians not to pay money for bail has been ignored by policemen at the police station for years.
According to some experiences shared by some Nigerians who paid to secure their bail or the bail of their loved ones, they were told that the directive is only on paper, but if they want freedom, they must pay for their bail.