SP Edafe Bright, the spokesperson of the Delta state police command, has condemned a viral video of a lady complaining about how officers ransacked her bag during a stop and search operation.
In the video that was shared, captured the moment officers stopped a commercial bus and ransacked the travelling bags of the occupants.
According to the lady, the officers went as far as opening items that were being way billed.
She said, ”Is this even right? Yesterday we were travelling from Benin to Owerri and at this particular checkpoint, this police people stopped us to check . Now I understand them searching but opening a girl’s bag to this extent, is it even right? Going though my clothes one after the other, my underwears were inside and he didn’t even flinch. I understand them searching but to this extent? Males are supposed to be searching males and females searching females.”
Responding, Edafe said it is indeed right for the officers to carry out the search but that male officers are not meant to search women but only their properties.
He wrote; ‘’What if they had recovered beretta pistols and Ammunitions while carrying out this thorough search? Would you be asking this question? The police were right and can search all items including way bill during the course of stop and search duty. And yes they can search the belonging of a woman. They are only not allowed to search a woman for males officers, but not their properties. Are we clear?”