On Friday, the Nigeria Police Force revealed that one can go to prison for buying a stolen item as it is an offence under the law.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this while warning Nigerians against collecting, keeping, or buying stolen items.
The Police PRO, in a statement which was released on his official X account on Friday, referenced Section 427 of the Criminal Code Act which states that anyone who receives stolen goods, knowing they were obtained through felony or misdemeanour, is guilty of a felony.
News About Nigeria reports that Section 427 of the Criminal Code Act, states that “any person who receives anything which has been obtained by means of any act constituting a felony or misdemeanour, or by means of any act done at a place not in Nigeria, which if it had been done in Nigeria would have constituted a felony or misdemeanour, and which is an offence under the laws in force in the place where it was done, knowing the same to have been so obtained, is guilty of a felony.
“If the offence by means of which the thing was obtained is a felony, the offender is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years, except in the case in which the thing so obtained was postal matter, or any chattel, money or valuable security contained therein, in which case the offender is liable to imprisonment for life. In any other case, the offender is liable to imprisonment for seven years. For the purpose of proving the receiving of anything, it is sufficient to show that the accused person has, either alone or jointly with some other person, had the thing in his possession, or has aided in concealing it or disposing of it.”
Adejobi, therefore, advised Nigerians to be cautious and not receive, keep, or buy items unless they are sure of their sources.
