Police Officer Urges Respect for Law After Mob Attack

The Nigeria Police Force, Cross River State Command, has called for more respect for police authority. They also want citizens to use legal means if they feel officers have violated their rights.

The command’s spokesperson, Sunday Eitokpah, an assistant superintendent of police, made the call in an article titled "Protect the People Behind the Badge: Respect the Rule of Law," which he shared with PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Eitokpah’s article follows a recent incident in Calabar. A police constable was attacked near Watt Market, leading to the arrest of 60 people.

The police said the incident happened on 15 September at Goldie by Etim Edem Lane. Someone alerted officers that a police officer was in trouble. The officer was rescued and taken to a police station.

The command reported that 60 suspects were arrested during operations in the area. They are still working to find others involved in the attack.

In his article, Mr Eitokpah said that attacks on police officers should not be accepted as normal. He believes this problem goes beyond the individual officer to the overall authority of the state and its ability to maintain order.

"A police uniform is a symbol of public authority, but behind every badge is a human being," he wrote.

He explained that police officers leave their homes to handle emergencies, stop crime, protect lives and property, maintain order, and enforce the law. He noted that assaults on officers hinder their ability to fulfill these duties.

Mr Eitokpah referred to Section 98 of the Police Act 2020. This law makes it an offence to attack, obstruct, or resist a police officer while they are performing their duties.

The law states that a guilty person can face a fine of N500,000, six months in prison, or both. This law also applies to anyone who helps or encourages another person to attack or obstruct a police officer or their helpers.

Mr Eitokpah stressed that respect for the police does not mean officers cannot be held accountable.

"Where a police officer is alleged to have acted unlawfully, abused his powers or violated the rights of a citizen, the appropriate response is to report the matter and pursue lawful redress," he wrote.

He highlighted Nigeria’s human rights framework. This includes ways for citizens to file complaints through the National Human Rights Commission.

The police spokesperson pointed out that accountability should apply to both citizens and police officers.

"No citizen is above the law, and no police officer is above the law," he wrote.

He advised citizens who think an arrest is unlawful or that an officer has acted wrongly to use the right legal channels instead of resorting to violence.

"If an officer misconducts himself, report him. If an arrest is believed to be unlawful, seek legal redress. If a complaint is genuine, pursue it through the appropriate channel. But do not turn an allegation into an excuse for violence," he said.

Mr Eitokpah also acknowledged that police officers must use their authority in a lawful and professional manner.

He said that being a police officer means respecting human dignity and the rights of citizens.

"The uniform demands discipline. The badge demands responsibility. Police authority must always be exercised within the law," he wrote.

Mr Eitokpah emphasized that both citizens and police officers have roles in building public trust.

"The police need the confidence and cooperation of the people to do their work effectively. Citizens, in turn, need to know that when they encounter the police, their rights will be respected and their complaints will receive appropriate attention," he wrote.

He noted that effective policing and respect for human rights should not be seen as opposing goals.

According to him, the solution is not confrontation or impunity, but following the law, accountability, professionalism, and mutual respect.

"The protection of police officers and the protection of citizens are not opposing causes. They are part of the same objective: a society governed by law rather than force," he wrote.