Spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has stated that it is not in all cases that the police require a search warrant before they can invade a suspected criminal’s house.
In a series of tweet, Adejobi pointed out that the police has the power to break in and out of any house if they have reasonable suspicion that a crime is being committed there.
He gave the clarification when a Twitter user inquired if the police has such powers to invade one’s home.
In the Tweet, a user with the name @dereal_ayo22 tweeted, “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?”
In response CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi 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).”
“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 is needed to arrest, and if policemen pursue suspects into a house, they don’t need any warrant to search that house. They can search without a warrant, recover items, and make the suspects or whoever is 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, 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.”
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