Osogbo – The Osun State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Olufimihan Adeoye, says citizens have no absolute rights that cannot be violated by the police.
Adeoye, while paying a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel in Osogbo on Wednesday, however, said that such violation must be within the ambit of the law.
He said that the operations of the police were limitless; hence, he advised the public to always cooperate with police officers on official duties.
“Rights are not absolute free and they can be violated by the police as long as they are done within the ambit and in accordance to the law.
“The police can stop and search any person, but it must be done professionally and in accordance with the law; so, there is no absolute freedom of movement.
“When a policeman stops and searches an individual, such a person should allow the officer, once it is established that the policeman is genuine.
“However, if anything is done in the process of searching that the person feels or thinks is against the etiquette of the profession or law, such a person can always complain at the police command,” he said.
Adeoye solicited the support of the media in safeguarding lives and property of Nigerians.
He said that while the press had always supported the Osun Police Command, he was asking for more support to build a good police/public relationship.
“We have come to realise that the fight against crime cannot be won without the support of the people.
“I want to solicit more support from the media, so that we can join hands together to rid our society of all those things that constitute threat to our safety and peaceful co-habitation,” he said.
He said that the police had never and would never relent in their efforts to make sure that the state remains safe for every law abiding citizen and foreigners.
“Our responsibility is to protect the rights of the people and I, therefore, enjoin the media to always let the police command know when our officers are violating people’s rights and also when they are performing well,” he said.
The police boss used the opportunity to call on residents to report cases of harassment by land grabbers.
He warned that such harassment would not be condoned by the police in Osun.
