A civil society group, Security Situation Room, SSR, has asked the Inspector General of Police, Director General of State Security Service, SSS and Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to stop forcing Nigerians to leave their phones at the respective gates of the organisations.
The country’s premium online security tracking platform, in a statement by its Convener, Mr. Douglas Ogbankwa on Wednesday, said: “We have been inundated with complaints of illegal confiscation of phones at the gates of the SSS, EFCC and Police.
“Of the three, the Police is the most liberal, as some of their facilities do not pratice this act. This act is, however, a violation of the fundamental human rights of citizens and an affront on the rule of law.
“This unlawful anomaly violates the rights of citizens to private property and freedom of expression and liberty. It does not happen any where else in the world and it is an attempt to cover up illegalities.
“The case of the SSS is even worse as if you cannot call any official of the SSS, you cannot access a suspect. So, if you are detained by the SSS, you will remain there as far as they want you to, except you have a person that can access an official.
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“This is a very sorry state of affairs as stories are rife of many illegal detentions running into months with out court orders.
“To make matters worse, the SSS has refused to open its cells to magistrates as provided for by the Admiration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, which appears to be an informal amendment of ACJA.
“The fulcrum of democracy is freedom and if there is no freedom, it defeats the aims of democracy and the objectives of an egalitarian society.
“We humbly call on the Attorney General of the Federation to read the riot act as the impunity of the organisation has reached an Olympian height,” the statement added.
