The Lagos State Police Command has defended the continued use of stop-and-search operations, arguing that the tactic remains one of its most effective crime-prevention tools, even as government officials, lawyers and civil society groups called for greater accountability and stronger engagement with young people to rebuild public trust in law enforcement.
Speaking at a youth-police engagement summit in Ikorodu on Monday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Agene James, representing the Lagos commissioner of police, Tijani Fatai, said officers were legally empowered to stop and search individuals where there was reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.
The event, organised by the Lagos State Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement in partnership with the Bureau of Public Defender, brought together police officers, government officials, lawyers, youth organisations and civil society groups to discuss ways of improving relations between law enforcement agencies and young people.
James said stop-and-search operations had played a significant role in recovering illegal firearms, arresting criminal suspects and rescuing kidnap victims.
“The police have the legal power to conduct stop-and-search operations where there is reasonable suspicion,” he said. “It is a preventive policing strategy that has helped us intercept illegal firearms and rescue victims of crime.”
He acknowledged, however, that the powers must be exercised professionally and within the limits of the law, stressing that officers were required to respect the rights and dignity of members of the public.
James also addressed concerns over police involvement at public events, insisting that the force had a statutory obligation to provide security regardless of whether organisers paid for the service.
“If it is a public event, the police have a duty to provide security whether you pay or not,” he said.
He reminded participants that firearm ownership in Nigeria remained tightly regulated under the Firearms Act and urged young people to work with security agencies by reporting suspicious activity, arguing that effective policing depended on cooperation between law enforcement and local communities.
According to James, sustained dialogue between police officers and young people was essential to rebuilding confidence in community policing.
The Lagos state government echoed that message, calling for a new partnership between citizens and security agencies founded on dialogue, technology and respect for human rights.
Speaking on behalf of the governor’s special adviser on political, legislative and civic engagement, Omotayo Olatunji said the government remained committed to creating platforms for constructive engagement between young people and law enforcement.
“In today’s rapidly evolving society, security can no longer be viewed solely as the responsibility of law enforcement agencies,” he said. “Rather, it is a collective responsibility that requires the active involvement of government, communities and, in particular, our youth.”
Olatunji encouraged participants to speak candidly about the challenges affecting relations between young people and the police.
“We want to learn what is really causing the problems between the youth and police officers,” he said. “We want you to speak constructively. Say what is on your mind in a way that will help us move Lagos State forward.”
The director of the Lagos State Bureau of Public Defender, Olubunmi Adesomoju, described the summit as an opportunity to bridge years of mistrust between the police and young people.
“Misunderstandings, mistrust and negative experiences have sometimes created barriers between both groups,” she said. “This makes it essential for us to come together, to listen, to learn and to engage in honest conversations that foster mutual respect and cooperation.”
She said the bureau remained committed to improving access to justice while ensuring that young Nigerians understood both their rights and their responsibilities under the law.
The bureau’s permanent secretary, Babajide Martins, reminded participants that while citizens had a constitutional right to peaceful protest without seeking police permission, notifying the police beforehand enabled officers to provide security.
“You are not informing the police to get their permission,” he said. “You are informing them because they have a duty to protect you, your property and your life while exercising your constitutional rights.”
Martins also urged police officers to exercise restraint when making arrests.
“The police have the power to arrest people where there is reasonable suspicion that an offence has been committed, but that power must be exercised with restraint,” he said. “They must not abuse the rights of citizens.”
Calls for modernising policing also featured prominently during the summit.
The Lagos director of public prosecutions, Adebayo Haroun, argued that greater use of technology could transform relations between police and the public by improving transparency and accountability.
Delivering a presentation on technology and policing, Haroun advocated wider deployment of body-worn cameras, artificial intelligence, CCTV systems, forensic technology and digital reporting platforms.
“Body-worn cameras are not only for protecting citizens; they also protect police officers,” he said. “Whatever transpires between the police and the citizen is recorded, making it easier to determine who is at fault.”
He also urged law enforcement agencies to embrace artificial intelligence in combating increasingly sophisticated cybercrime.
“We now have AI-enabled crimes. People use another person’s image to perpetrate fraud,” he said. “The police must also adopt artificial intelligence to investigate crimes instead of relying solely on conventional methods.”
Haroun warned, however, that technological advancement must be matched by respect for constitutional rights, reminding officers that access to citizens’ mobile phones required judicial authorisation.
“Your phone is personal,” he said. “Police cannot search your phone except with a court order.”
Participants concluded the summit by calling for sustained dialogue between young people and security agencies, broader public education on legal rights and responsibilities, and greater investment in technology to strengthen community policing.
Summing up the day’s discussions, Haroun said effective policing depended on shared responsibility rather than confrontation.
“Community policing means everyone has a role to play,” he said. “Government must play its part, the police must discharge their responsibilities professionally, and the youth must embrace partnership. Together, we can build a safer Nigeria.”
