The Plateau State Police Command has warned its personnel that no officer has the legal authority to stop any citizen on the road and demand access to the contents of their mobile phone without a court warrant.

The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, Bassey Ewah, gave the warning in a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Alabo Alfred.

The statement read, “In line with his unwavering stance against misconduct and unprofessional behaviour by Police personnel, the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Bassey Ewah, wishes to reiterate unequivocally, that no officer or personnel of the Plateau State Police Command has the legal authority to stop any citizen and demand access to or search the contents of their mobile phone on the road without a court warrant.”

He urged residents to politely resist such unlawful demands and report any officer found engaging in the practice through the command’s complaint channels.

The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to lawful policing and the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights.

According to him, the Plateau State Police Command remained committed to protecting the lives, property and rights of all Plateau citizens, adding, “We assure the good people of the State of our continued commitment to ensuring effective policing in line with the law and global best practices.”

The Congolese government has announced that the death toll in the country’s latest Ebola outbreak has reached 600.

New suspected cases of Ebola had been reported in parts of Congo that were previously unaffected, the government said.

The latest report, published late Wednesday, said two new cases were suspected in Kisangani in the Tshopo province, where cases had not been previously recorded.

“The total number of confirmed cases across the country has now reached 1,759.”

According to the report, one of the two suspected cases was linked to the Nia-Nia health zone in Ituri province, where the first cases were reported.

The other case “has no apparent geographical connection to known outbreaks.”

Authorities are still investigating, the report said.

The Congolese authorities declared a fresh Ebola outbreak on 15 May, after the disease had been transmitted for weeks without official detection, according to the World Health Organisation.

READ ALSO: WHO warns as largest-ever Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak surpasses 1,400 cases

The latest outbreak was caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment.

Earlier clinical trials for treatment began after researchers instituted a highly anticipated study in the hope of fighting the virus.

Efforts to contain the virus have also been hampered by a funding gap, attacks on health centres, and an ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, the epicentre of the outbreak.

(AP/NAN)