By Okechukwu Nwanguma
In January 2025, Nigerians woke up to yet another controversy: the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi (I hear he’s just been redeployed), boldly declared that the police “have the power to break into any house” if they believe an offence is being committed. His words followed the circulation of a video showing masked policemen scaling a fence, firing live rounds, and forcing their way into a residence.
Just two weeks ago, in August, the Delta State Command’s PRO, SP Bright Edafe, had sparked a similar outrage when he insisted that officers could search people’s pockets and bags without a warrant if they had “reasonable suspicion.”
Taken together, these statements reveal a disturbing pattern: those entrusted with explaining the law to the public are instead normalising illegality and eroding constitutional protections. They reinforce the perception that the Nigeria Police Force does not see itself as bound by law, but as a law unto itself.
The Law: Narrow Exceptions, Not Blanket Powers
The Constitution is clear. Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees the privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations, and telegraphic communications. This right is not absolute, but any restriction must be based on clear law and justified as necessary in a democratic society.
The Police Act 2020, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and state criminal procedure laws do grant police certain powers – such as stop-and-search, or forced entry in emergencies. But these powers are limited and conditional:
Stop-and-search must be based on reasonable suspicion (Americans call it ‘probable cause’), and even then, it must be conducted respectfully and lawfully, not as an excuse for harassment or extortion.
Breaking into a house is permitted only in narrowly defined situations:
– hot pursuit of a fleeing suspect,
– preventing a serious crime in progress,
– rescuing victims, or
– executing a lawful arrest after announcing presence and being denied entry. In all other cases, a warrant is required.
Why Nigerians Were Alarmed
Adejobi’s sweeping claim that police can break into “any house,” and Edafe’s assertion that officers can rifle through pockets and bags at will, both strip away these legal safeguards. They portray exceptions as the rule. In practice, this legitimises the very abuses that Nigerians already suffer daily: arbitrary stop-and-search turned into extortion rackets, and violent home invasions masquerading as law enforcement.
The public anger was not misplaced. Criminals and kidnappers also wear uniforms. When police act like armed invaders or pickpockets, how are citizens to distinguish between legitimate officers and impostors? Worse, what happens when a frightened homeowner mistakes such officers for robbers and resists (or even fires at them, in self-defense)?
Post-#EndSARS Impunity
These reckless statements are particularly insulting in the post-#EndSARS era. In 2020, Nigerians – especially young people – rose to demand an end to unlawful stop-and-search, arbitrary detention, and home raids. Five years later, instead of reform, we hear police spokespersons openly justifying the same abuses.
It signals that nothing has changed. Impunity remains entrenched, accountability remains elusive, and the culture of treating citizens as suspects or prey persists.
The PROs Are the Problem
The role of a Police PRO is not to glorify impunity. It is to clarify the law, correct misinformation, and build public trust. When the Force PRO and a state PRO misstate the law in ways that empower abuse, they do lasting damage. They embolden rogue officers and deepen public distrust.
This is not a communication error. It is a mindset problem – a belief within the police that rights are inconveniences and that the uniform itself confers unlimited power.
What Must Be Done
If the police leadership cares about reform, it must urgently:
1. Correct the record. Publicly clarify the limited circumstances under which searches or forced entry are lawful.
2. Retrain PROs. They must communicate responsibly, not recklessly.
3. Discipline abuses. Officers who harass, extort, or unlawfully invade homes must face real consequences.
4. Rebuild trust. Citizens need reassurance that the police are subject to the law, not above it.
Conclusion
Yes, police have powers to search and to enter premises. But those powers are narrow, exceptional, and subject to safeguards. When spokespersons like Adejobi and Edafe expand them into blanket authority, they undermine the Constitution, embolden misconduct, and put citizens at risk.
A police force that respects rights earns legitimacy. One that tramples them will remain feared, distrusted, and resisted. Nigeria cannot afford a descent into police-state practices – especially not under the watch of those whose duty is to uphold the law.
