The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, has said it is an offence to refuse police officers entry or exit from one’s house.
Edafe made this statement on Saturday in a post on X while responding to a viral video showing a group of young men refusing to let people dressed like policemen into their compound.
In the video, the young men, who described themselves as content creators and not internet fraudsters, expressed concerns about the masks worn by the armed men, questioning their identity. One of the armed men fired a shot in the air before another scaled the fence to gain access to the building.
Reacting to the incident, Edafe clarified that wearing masks is against the Nigeria Police Force’s regulations but emphasized that citizens have no right to block police officers from entering or exiting their property.
“Wearing a mask as a policeman is a red flag and it’s not allowed in policing. However, we all should stop thinking that it is right to lock the police either outside or inside. That’s another offence on its own,” Edafe wrote.
He added that investigations were underway to identify where the incident happened and ensure appropriate actions are taken.
“That incident can’t be defended simply because the policemen were masked. We are waiting for information to know where it transpired so that proper investigation will be carried out,” he added.
Edafe also questioned why the young men in the video mentioned they were not internet fraudsters, noting that no such accusation was made against them by the police.
