By Desire Emmanuel
The Nigeria Police Force, through its Complaint Response Unit media platform (CRU Media), on Sunday night gave reasons why they always ask relatives who bring foods for detainees to taste them before allowing the foods to be eaten by the detainees.
In a message posted on its Facebook page, the CRU Media said police officers may ask relatives to taste foods in order to verify it is not poisoned or adulterated with any substances that could harm the detainees, adding that this action serves as a security and safety precaution.
The CRU Media added that while the police are legally required to provide foods for suspects in detention, in some regions, this may not be consistent due to lack of fiscal provision or other issues.
Consequently, family members often bring foods for their relatives in detention and when this happens, the police supervise the process and require the person bringing the foods to taste them first.
The CRU said this is done for the following reasons:
“Ensure safety of the detainees: The primary goal is to prevent them from consuming anything that could cause illness, injury, or death. This protects the individual and prevents legal liability for the police.
“Prevent a potential escape or adverse incident: Adulterated food could be used to incapacitate the detainees (e.g. with a sedative) for an escape attempt during a potential hospital visit, or to cause a medical emergency that creates a distraction.
“Avoid accusations of inhumane treatment: If the police were to accept food from an unverified source without a safety check and the detainees became ill, the police could be accused of negligence or deliberate harm. Requiring the relative to taste the foods transfers some of the risk and responsibility back to them.
The police said though it is not a universal standard procedure, the practice is a local/regional security measure and highlights the potential challenges faced by detainees and their families in some justice systems.
