The Adamawa State Police Command has urged members of the public to report cases of police misconduct rather than engage in physical confrontation with officers.
The call was made by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, in a statement shared on Facebook on Tuesday.
In the statement, Nguroje warned that fighting a police officer could expose individuals to multiple criminal charges, even if they believe they are innocent.
“What is the essence of you fighting a police officer?” the statement read.
He reminded the public that police officers are law enforcement agents and that physical resistance could attract serious legal consequences.
“Police officers are law enforcement agents. If you fight them physically, you’re opening yourself to multiple charges,” he said.
According to the police spokesperson, such charges include “assault on a law enforcement officer,” “resisting arrest,” and “obstructing a police officer while executing his lawful duty/justice.
Nguroje explained that once a person raises their hands against an officer, it automatically provides legal grounds for arrest.
“Once you raise your hands against an officer of the law, you automatically create a legal justification for your arrest,” he stated.
He added that even when a person is right or innocent, the charges alone could still have serious consequences.
You may be right and innocent, those charges alone can… land you in jail, weaken your evidence, minimum force, and/or refusal of bail,” the statement said.
The police spokesperson, therefore, advised residents to channel complaints through official means.
“Therefore, report any police misconduct to the command’s Complaint response unit,” Nguroje said.
The Nigeria Police Force had issued a stern warning to citizens, emphasising the importance of cooperating with public officers in the discharge of their lawful duties.
The police had highlighted relevant provisions of the Criminal Code Act and the Police Act 2020, which outline penalties for resisting or obstructing public officers.
According to Section 197 of the Criminal Code Act, any person who obstructs or resists a public officer in the execution of their duties is liable to imprisonment for up to two years.
Similarly, Section 42 of the Police Act 2020 states that citizens are bound to assist judges, magistrates, police officers or other authorised persons in arresting suspects or preventing their escape.
The police also cited Section 98 of the Police Act 2020, which provides that assaulting, obstructing or resisting a police officer in the discharge of lawful duty attracts a fine of ₦500,000, imprisonment for six months, or both.
In addition, Section 99 of the same Act states that refusal or neglect to aid and assist a police officer in danger may attract a fine of ₦100,000, imprisonment for three months, or both.
