NIGERIA: Police Urge Citizens To Know The Laws, Explain Rules Guiding Relations with Public Officers

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has on Sunday, reiterated key sections of Nigeria’s law to educate and guide the citizens of the country on their legal obligations regarding public officers.

In a statement titled “Know the Law and Be Guided,” the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, referenced Section 197 of the Criminal Code Act, which addresses the offense of resisting a public officer during the execution of their duties.

According to the section, anyone who obstructs or resists a public officer is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.

The section states: “Any person who in any manner obstructs or resists any public officer while engaged in the discharge or attempted discharge of his duties under any order, Act, law, or statute, or obstructs or resists any person while engaged in the discharge or attempted discharge of any duty imposed on him by an order, Act, law, or statute, is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for two years.”

The NPF also urged the public to familiarise themselves with these laws of the country to ensure lawful conduct and avoid actions that could lead to prosecution.

The statement further reads: “Section 42 of the Police Act 2020: A person is bound to assist a judge, magistrate, police officer, or other person reasonably demanding his aid in arresting or preventing the escape of a suspect whom the judge, magistrate, police officer, or other person is authorised to arrest.

“Section 98 Police Act 2020: A person who assaults, obstructs, or resists a police officer in the discharge of his duty, or aids or incites any other person to assault, obstruct, or resist a police officer or any other person aiding or assisting the police officer in the discharge of his duty, commits an offense and is liable on conviction to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of six months, or both.

“Section 99, Police Act 2020: When a person is called upon to aid and assist a police officer who is, while in the discharge of his duty, assaulted or resisted, or in danger of being assaulted or resisted, and the person refuses or neglects to aid and assist, the person commits an offense and is liable on conviction to a fine of N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of three months, or both.”