//-Automatic Tickets: Nigeria’s brand of democracy-//

1. Question: What particulars do I need to present in any Police check point?

Answer: Your Driver’s Licence, Vehicle Licence. Insurance Certificate. If it is a commercial vehicle, also carry your Certificate of Road Worthiness. You are not required to carry Vehicle Purchase Documents, or Proof of Ownership, except if your vehicle is unregistered. You are not required to show your Enhanced Central Motor Registry Certificate (ECMR) any more.

2. QUESTION: Who can I complain to if I am unnecessarily delayed or I am asked to offer money to let me go or if my rights are infringed upon?

Answer: Look for the most senior officer on duty at that checkpoint or in that Police Station. Make your complaint to him. If he does not assist you and you are eventually made to part with bribe, make a mental note of the location, the time and any other information you can safely memorize. You can either telephone or file a complaint to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Station/ Area Command/the Police PRO or the Commissioner of Police.

3. Can a woman take suspect on bail?

Answer: Yes, if she meets the general requisites of suretyship and if the offence is bailable.

4. What are the qualifications for enlistment into the various categories of the Police?

Answer: To enlist as Constable, you need School Certificate/GCE/NECO; not more than 22 years old; 5ft 6inches in height for men and 5ft 4inches in height for female; no criminal record; physically and mentally fit. To enlist as Cadet Inspector, you need School Certificate/GCE/NECO with five credits including English and Mathematics; not more that 22 years old, 5ft 6 inches in height for men and 5ft 4 inches for female; no criminal record; physically and mentally fit. To enlist as Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police, you need Degree/HND; not more than 28 years old; School Certificate/GCE/NECO; 5ft 6inches in height for men and 5ft 4inches for female; no criminal record; physically and mentally fit.

5. How am I sure that my security is assured and that information passed to the Police in confidence will be acted upon?

Answer: Always pass such information to the head of the formation, e.g. DPO or Area Commander. If in doubt, contact the PPRO or the Commissioner of Police. You can also write to the Commissioner of Police PMB A22 Lagos, Abuja or any state capital of your choice.

6.Do I need to pay money or some materials to the IPO, DCO or DPO to secure bail?

Answer: Police bail is free. Call Police hotlines if you are asked to pay for bail. Ensure you exhaust all the complaint avenues available to you. If you give and later report, you may not be treated as a victim but an accomplice of bribery and will be visited with the full weight of the law.

7. Am I supposed to pay for Police reports?

Answer: No, if application for such report(s) is approved and if its purpose is official and genuine. Police Reports are issued free of charge.

8. Can the police refuse to allow the bail of a suspect?

Answer: Yes, (i.) if the probability of his appearing in court is remote (ii) if the offence is grave in nature e.g. armed robbery, murder etc (iii) if the number of sureties required is not sufficient (iv) if doing so will defeat the end of justice ot (v) if the release will engender his escape.

9. Does a Policeman has the power to kill a suspect, at the Police Station, Check point or anywhere?

Answer: No except (i) if the policeman’s life is in danger and there is no other way he can save his life from the attack of the suspect; (ii) if he is defending another person being attacked and he believes on reasonable grounds that he cannot otherwise protect that person from death (iii) if it is necessary to disperse rioters or to prevent them from committing serious offences against life or property (iv) if he cannot by any other means arrest a person, who being in lawful custody, escapes and takes to flight in order to avoid re-arrest, provided the offence with which he is charged or has been convicted is a misdemeanour or felony; and (v) if he cannot by any other means, arrest a person who takes to flight in order to avoid arrest, provided the offence is such that the accused may be punished with death or imprisonment for seven (7) years or more.

10. When can the Police refuse to accept my complaint?

Answer: (i) If the complaint is civil in nature e.g. chieftaincy matters, land matters, debt recovery cases; (ii) If the complaint is false (although the complaint could be prosecuted for giving false information); (iii) If the complaint is trivial e.g. mere exchange of banters between friends; (iv) If the complaint is vexatious e.g. if the source is vindictive; (v) If the complaint is frivolous e.g. of a routine or unimportant nature; or (vi) If the complaint is malicious e.g. with a revenge motive.

11. When may the Police Officer refuse to arrest a suspect?

Answer: (i) If the allegation is apparently false; (ii) If the allegation is trivial; (iii) If arresting the suspect will not serve the ends of justice e.g. culminating in riots or if Police action is construed as partial, unjust, etc.; (iv) If allegation is civil in nature, although the complaint may be counselled to take a civil action or (v) If the same case had already been investigated and it was found to be false.

12. What are the rights of a person detained in Police Cell?

Answer: The suspect has the right to be kept warm, if the weather is extremely cold; (ii) he has the right to medicare, if sick (iii) he has the right to be fed (if available); (iv) he has the right to clean himself or be neat and (v) he has the right to consult with his counsel.

13. Can a civilian arrest a suspect?

Answer: Yes. But the arrested suspect must be handed over to the nearest Police Station. The civilian must make a statement to the Police and be ready to give evidence in court. In most cases suspects are arrested and brought to the Station and nobody makes a statement. The Police is compelled to release such suspect if there is no evidence or witness.

14. Can a civilian kill a thief arrested by him or other members of the public?

Answer: A thief or suspected one cannot be killed by anybody. On arresting him, hand him over to the nearest Police Station. If you kill him, you will be charged with murder or manslaughter, as the case may be.

15. Can a witch be lynched?

Answer: The position of the law is that a witch has the same status as any ordinary citizen. If there are provable allegations against her, take her to the Station and leave the rest to the Police and the court.

16. What categories of offences may not be reported to the police?

Answer: All kinds of offences, both civil and criminal, must be reported to the Police. All civil offences that do not have element of crime (preliminary investigation) might eventually be refused. Before doing so, the Police would tell the parties the reason(s) for such refusal and might advise them on the appropriate next course of action.

17. Who is a suspect?

Answer: Any person who is alleged to have committed an offence.

18. Who is an accused person?

Answer: Any person on trial for committing s crime.

19. What is an unlawful assembly?

Answer: When three or more persons assemble in such a manner as to cause fear for other person in a neighbourhood or when person so assembled tumultuously disturb the peace.

20. What is riot?

Answer: When an unlawful assembly has begun to act in so tumultuous a manner as to disturb the peace, the assembly is called a riot and the persons assembled are said to be riotously assembled.

21.What does ECMR stand for?

Answer: ECMR stands for Enhanced Central Motor Registry. It is no longer required to be produced. Its issuance has been phased out by the Police.

Answer: A bail is a recognisance entered into in order to secure the appearance of a suspect in order to answer to his/her charges.

23. When a suspect is said to jump bail?

Answer: When a suspect failed to appear in order to answer to his/her charges at stipulated date, time and venue.

24. Where is the office of the Inspector-General of Police?

Answer: It is located at the seventh floor of Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area, Abuja. While Annex Office in Lagos is at Moloney Street, Kam Selem House, Obalende, Lagos.

25. Who is a Senior Police Officer?

Answer: A Senior Police Officer (SPO) is from the rank of ASPII to Inspector-General of Police. He is recognized by one star or more on each of his shoulders.