Nigeria: Procedures for obtaining, from abroad, a copy of a complaint lodged with the police; whether the police report can be obtained by a proxy
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Publication Date | 21 March 2012 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | NGA103884.E |
| Related Document(s) | Nigéria : information sur la marche à suivre pour obtenir, depuis l'étranger, une copie d'une plainte portée à la police; information indiquant si le rapport de la police peut être obtenu par procuration |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Nigeria: Procedures for obtaining, from abroad, a copy of a complaint lodged with the police; whether the police report can be obtained by a proxy, 21 March 2012, NGA103884.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/50aa3b102.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, an official at the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa indicated that she has never dealt with issues of police reports and that she is uncertain of the procedure for obtaining one from abroad (Nigeria 1 Feb. 2012). However, an assistant force public relations officer in Abuja, who works in the office of the Inspector-General of Police for the department responsible for receiving complaints about the police from the public, explained the procedure for obtaining, while abroad, a copy of a complaint that had been lodged with the police (ibid. 28 Jan. 2012). He indicated that the Nigerian high commission in Canada would have to contact the Inspector-General of Police, who is the head of the Nigerian Police (ibid.). The Inspector-General would then inform the department that issued the report of the request; the report would be sent to the requester in Canada through the Canadian high commission in Nigeria (ibid.).
Similarly, in a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a police spokesperson in Kano said that, in his opinion, to obtain from Canada a copy of a complaint that had been lodged with the Nigerian police, the Nigerian high commission in Canada should send a written request on official letterhead to the police force headquarters in Abuja (Nigeria 20 Feb. 2012).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Nigeria. 20 February 2012. Nigeria Police Force. Telephone interview with a police spokesperson in Kano.
_____. 1 February 2012. Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa. Telephone interview with an official.
_____. 28 January 2012. Nigeria Police Force. Correspondence from an assistant force public relations officer to the Research Directorate.
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral Sources: Attempts to contact an assistant police commissioner; police spokespersons in Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja; and a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, as well as representatives of the following organizations, were unsuccessful: High Commission of Canada in Nigeria; CLEEN Foundation; Human Rights Monitor; International Centre for Nigerian Law; International Human Rights Law Group; Nigerian High Commission in Washington, Consulate General in Atlanta and Police Service Commission. Representatives of Nigera Police Watch and the National Human Rights Commission, in Nigeria, were unable to provide information for this Response.
Internet sites, including: ecoi.net, United Nations Refworld, United States Department of State.
