Police warn officers and public: bail is free, paying or taking cash means arrest
- The police Complaints Response Unit says bail is free and no officer should demand money for it.
- Its head, Awu Fidelis, warned in Lagos that both the person paying and the officer taking the money risk arrest and prosecution.
- Residents were urged to report misconduct on the unit's phone lines, WhatsApp and through written petitions.
The Nigeria Police Force has warned its officers and the public that bail is free, and that anyone who pays or collects money for it risks arrest and prosecution.
The warning came at a sensitisation rally in Lagos on Friday, organised by the force's Complaints Response Unit (CRU) with the Eagle Crime Awareness and Prevention Initiative (ECAPI). The rally began at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja and included roadshows, market outreach and the sharing of information materials.
Awu Fidelis, a superintendent of police who heads the CRU at Force Headquarters in Abuja, said the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has repeatedly stressed that no money should be demanded or paid to secure the release of an arrested person.
He said both the giver and the taker of such payments would be arrested and prosecuted, and urged residents to report officers who ask for money.
Why it matters to ordinary Nigerians
Paying for bail at a police station is a familiar experience for many Nigerians, and the force is now saying openly that it is wrong. Anyone arrested, or a relative trying to secure their release, should not hand over cash.
Fidelis said complaints against officers are investigated and disciplinary measures taken where officers are found culpable. He said the rising number of people reporting misconduct through the CRU's offices and channels shows growing public confidence in the process.
Residents can reach the CRU on 08057000001 and 08057000002 for calls, and 08057000003 for WhatsApp complaints, as well as its social media platforms. Punch reported slightly different numbers for the same unit (08057000101 and 08057000102 for calls, 08057000103 for WhatsApp).
The Officer-in-Charge of the CRU in Lagos, Idris Mogaji, a deputy superintendent of police, said the unit keeps complainants informed about the progress and outcome of investigations, including disciplinary decisions.
He said the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, had met officers over concerns including the use of unregistered vehicles, particularly buses, and that the command had acted on a recent incident involving some officers. Residents can report misconduct on 09111111151 and 09111111150, through the command's social media platforms, or by written petition to the Commissioner of Police.
Tijani, represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid, said the command supports the partnership and that such cooperation can improve information sharing and security at community level.
The ECAPI founder, Samuel Eniola, said the campaign would go to communities, markets, motor parks, police stations, barracks and area commands across Lagos, with youths a key target. He said the group's work goes beyond advocacy against police brutality to include crime prevention and cooperation with the police.
Punch quoted the ECAPI coordinator, Eniola Adam, saying the rally was to educate residents on brutality, extortion and the fact that bail is free.
What happens next
According to the organisers, the sensitisation will continue across local government areas and markets in Lagos. The police say complaints will be investigated and officers found culpable disciplined, though the sources did not give figures on how many officers have faced action so far.
