Ever since 20:10:20, the evening at the Lekki Toll Gate in October 2020 when unharmed #EndSars protesters were shot at by Nigerian Army officers either with blank bullets or live rounds, law enforcement rules have generally seen a recalibration. The latest is happening on the civil side with Mr Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) handing out warnings about how the agency’s personnel should conduct themselves when interacting with the public. going into next year.

That includes police officers keeping from their old habit of arbitrarily searching people’s phones. All these new visions happened in a warning that was contained in a police wireless message marked DTO: 111996/ and Ref: CB:0900/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.TIO/157, titled: Order and directives: Arbitrary Arrest and Detention – it was a circular dated 13 December 2024, one addressing every rank and file up to their superiors.

The operations department of the NPF laid out this message from the top echelons and if advised strict compliance, an instruction ThisDay Newspaper has seen.

Now, what is the demanded new behaviour every police officer must give based on an emerging report?

Police officers are instructed not to make arrests without proper cause or evidence. According to the message to officers titled Arbitrary Arrest, Detention: NIGPOL DCPS Abuja Directs, going forward into the year 2025, there should be no unnecessary arrest and detention of youths, collecting of phones, checking of phones, at checking points.

If the Nigeria Police Force and those who run it are to be upgraded alongside President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu’s undeterred better idea of governance, all these should stop, the circular says. It is a fact that errant police officers show the security unit as having a hostile demeanour. This is not good for the future every Nigerian deserves and have been pushing through demonstrations that cut across formerly sleepy cities.

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Then again, this isn’t one of those orders where only the offending officer takes the hit – there would be consequences for their supervisors too like the district police officers closer to the inner arteries of cities.

NIGPOL DOPS, says the wireless message being quoted, directs you to desist from such unlawful acts.

It declares that anyone caught will be disciplined along with Commands ComPols/Supervisors as INGENPOL will deploy monitoring units for enforcement of these directives. Treat it as very important.

Another demand the circular says has to be met is to have restrictions on phone searches.

This tragedy of frisking a Nigerian in transit of their devices and then prying in is ever so common. It was one of the topics often spotlighted by the mixed results #EndSars protest of 2020. There were reports of victims either killed or injured from the bullets discharged by Nigerian Army officers stationed at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to counter possible security threats.

Going forward, officers are prohibited from searching people’s phones indiscriminately at checkpoints. Ethical policing is the idea – without this, there is no public belief that the police are their friend.

The Nigeria Police Force indeed wants to be seen in a better light after decades of the citizens ending up feeling oppressed instead of being protected.

Wanting to be seen as useful, the NPF now offers vital information about a Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) portal a person seeking to buy a used car can browse through to check the credibility of the vehicle they are trying to buy.

Refreshed for 2025 NPF

Double checking is definitely to surmount unexpected issues, but what about the 2024 annual Christmas Carol and Service of Songs Programme the police are organising? The carol has been scheduled to be held at 5p.m. on Friday 20 December at the NPF Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja.

It is a remarkable occasion with this year’s edition as it promises the presence of Nigeria’s First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu. In a Wednesday statement about the event, the police see a mother coming over to promote national harmony and spiritual reflection.

Maybe 2025 will be good with the extra addition of other dignitaries attending the carol such as the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, OFR, and that is not all.

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Perhaps, light is truly at the end of the tunnel following recent developments going on in the Nigerian space. One might only require patience to see.

Meiza Nigeria