Don’t Detain Suspects Beyond 24hrs – Police Warns Officers

The Nigeria Police Force has warned officers in the country against detaining suspects beyond 24 hours as required by the Nigeria constitution.The Police said detaining suspects beyond 24 hours is abuse of human rights by members of the profession.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of zone 8, Tanko Lawal stated this on Monday when he addressed officers and men of the Kwara state command of the police at the command’s headquarters in Ilorin on the policy thrust of the present police leadership.
Lawal said it was the decision of the leader that in order that the provision of the nation’s constitution is not breached no suspect must be detained by the police beyond 24 hours.
He said the leadership dictates that in a situation where it requires longer time to investigate a case the suspect should be taken to court or released on bail and be taken to court later.The police boss said in investigations that could be concluded within 24 hours of detention of a suspect the investigating officer should tidy up his case within the hours warning “long detention must be avoided.
He said police officers that not in all instances they need to arrest a person for investigation and that in those instance it is imperative they arrest the person arrested must be treated with respect to his human right because he is just a suspect and with law still presuming him to be innocent.
Lawal who disclosed that the policy of the police leadership also include zero tolerance for corruption, police-community partnership, intelligent policing and respect for human rights warned members of the state command against extortion and any other form of corruption.
He charged the police officers to keep to the directive of the Inspector-General of Police that no road block should be mounted on the highways any longer saying “road block is gone and is gone forever.”