The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Tuesday Assayomo, has warned officers of the command against indiscriminate search of laptops and telephones of residents.

The warning came less than a week after the CP ordered the redeployment of 26 officers over extortion and harassment of residents.

In Kwara recently, there have been complaints of indiscriminate ingress into homes and offices by policemen in the state on the excuse of searching and arresting of criminal elements.

But the CP said the command stood firmly against the indiscriminate stopping of youths in both private and public transportation and on the streets for the purpose of checking for incriminating information and eventual harassment and extortion by some policemen on field duty.

He warned that “severe consequences” awaited officers who did not desist from the acts, adding that a special monitoring team had been set up and detailed to be on the lookout for deviant officers and to ensure strict compliance of the directive.

According to a statement by the police spokesman in the state, Ajayi Okasanmi, members of the public are advised to insist on being taken to the nearest police station in the event of any policeman requesting them to submit their phones or laptops for search.

The statement reads in part: “The CP further advises landlords and tenants to demand search warrants authenticating the search of such dwelling places before they allow any officer in.”