Police can arrest without warrant – security expert

From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin

Security expert, Dr. Oluwadare Ojo, has explained reasons that can make police officer to arrest with or without warrant.

Dr. Ojo, a lecturer at the Institute of Security, Nigeria, University of Lagos (UNILAG), said at launch of a book, titled, “Functional Police Memo” in Ilorin on Thursday that a police officer could arrest without warrant if an offence was committed in his presence.

The book was written by the retiring Kwara state Police Commissioner, Ebunoluwarotim Adelesi.

Ojo, who was the facilitator and reviewer of the book, explained that, “the authority given to a police officer to arrest a person who commits an offence in his presence shall be exercisable in respect of offences committed in such officers’ presence notwithstanding that the written law creating the offence provides the offence that the offender cannot be arrested without warrant.

“From the above, a police officer may arrest a person without a warrant for committing misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor only when offence is committed in the presence of him/her.

“In addition to this, a police officer can arrest without warrant when a wanted criminal/suspect is found.

“Just like police officers, a private person can arrest any person without a warrant, where a private person has a reasonable support of a person in the commission of an offence, he can arrest and handover the suspect to the police or take him to the police station”.

Continuing, the security expert said that “arrest and detainment of a suspect by the police and other law enforcement agencies in Nigeria do not stop suspects of their rights.

“There are constitutionally protected rights of every suspect in police custody which should not be violated or breached.

“A suspect shall not be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment while in police custody”.

In her remarks, Mrs. Adelesi hinted that the security challenges she experienced necessitated her decision to write the book.

She said that the journey of securing the state as the police chief had been daunting.

“I must make this categorical statement that the journey has not been so smooth, especially, when the challenges are skyrocketing. I am glad that as experienced officer, I was prepared for the task”, she said.

Also speaking at the book launch, Dr Nihinlola Akanbi, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Netherlands said that the event was a celebration of Womanhood in the country

She said, “I am particularly happy because it is yet another leap and great achievement for the womanhood in the country.

“Putting a book together, is no mean a task. So, I want to say a big kudos to this great author, especially the issues addressed in the book which can be termed a professional publication, as the author shared her wealth of experience over the years in the service of our dear country through policing.

“To my dear CP Adelesi, your commitment to raising the bars and breaking the ceilings for young girls and womanhood both in everyday’s life and in the profession, are no easy task, please don’t relent. You can never imagine the kind of positive impact your efforts has yielded, still yielding and will continue to yield”, Akanbi said.

Ends.