A police petition is a written complaint made to the Nigeria Police Force concerning alleged criminal conduct or circumstances requiring police investigation or intervention.
The purpose of a police petition is to place the relevant facts before the Police and request that the appropriate authority investigate the allegations and take whatever lawful action may be appropriate.
A police petition may be written personally by the complainant or prepared by a lawyer acting on behalf of a client.
How to write a police petition in Nigeria: Format,procedure and Legal guide.
The petition should focus on facts and evidence rather than accusations that cannot be supported.
Who Can Write a Petition to the Police in Nigeria?
A person who has genuine and relevant information concerning an alleged offence may make a complaint to the Police.
A petitioner may be:
- The person directly affected by the alleged offence;
- A person who witnessed the incident;
- A person with relevant information about the alleged offence;
- A company or other organisation;
- An authorized representative; or
- A solicitor or lawyer acting on behalf of a client.
The petitioner does not necessarily have to be the person who suffered the financial loss, injury or other harm. What is important is that the information supplied to the Police is genuine, relevant and capable of assisting an investigation.
Where a company is involved, the petition may be made through an appropriate director, officer, authorized representative or solicitor.
What Matters Can Be Reported Through a Police Petition?
The Nigeria Police Force is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and other functions provided by law.
Depending on the circumstances, a police petition may relate to alleged offences including:
- Fraud;
- Obtaining money by false pretence;
- Stealing;
- Criminal breach of trust;
- Conversion;
- Forgery and use of forged documents;
- Criminal intimidation;
- Threats;
- Assault;
- Causing grievous harm;
- Conspiracy;
- Unlawful possession of property;
- Destruction of property;
- Extortion;
- Kidnapping;
- Cyber-related offences;
- Vehicle-related offences;
- Property-related offences; and
- Other conduct that may constitute a criminal offence.
The precise offence applicable to a particular complaint will depend on the facts and the law applicable to those facts.
A petitioner does not necessarily need to determine the final criminal charge before making a complaint. The more important task is to present the facts accurately, identify the suspected wrongdoing and provide the available evidence.
Where appropriate, a lawyer can assist in identifying the potential offences arising from the facts and presenting the complaint in a legally coherent manner.
How to Write a Police Petition in Nigeria
There is no single rigid format that every police petition must follow. However, a properly prepared petition should be clear, factual and sufficiently detailed to allow the Police to understand the complaint and commence appropriate investigation.
The following structure can be used as a practical police petition format in Nigeria.
1. Address the Petition to the Appropriate Police Authority
The petition should be addressed to the police authority or investigative formation appropriate to the circumstances of the complaint.
Depending on the nature and location of the matter, this may include:
- The Divisional Police Officer (DPO);
- The Commissioner of Police of the relevant State Command;
- The Assistant Inspector-General of Police of the relevant Police Zone;
- The Inspector-General of Police; or
- An appropriate police investigative department, formation or unit.
For a complaint arising within a particular locality, the petition may be addressed to the Police Division with responsibility for that area.
For example:
The Divisional Police Officer
Nigeria Police Force
[Name of Police Division]
[Location]
Where appropriate, it may instead be addressed to:
The Commissioner of Police
Nigeria Police Force
[Name] State Command
[Address]
The appropriate recipient may depend on the nature, seriousness and geographical circumstances of the complaint.
2. Give the Police Petition a Clear Title
The title should immediately tell the Police what the petition concerns.
For example:
PETITION AGAINST MR. TUNDE ADEBAYO FOR ALLEGED FRAUD, CRIMINAL BREACH OF TRUST AND CONVERSION
Or:
PETITION FOR INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED FRAUD, OBTAINING MONEY BY FALSE PRETENCE AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES
The title should be accurate and should not contain sensational, defamatory or unsupported allegations.
Where the precise offence is uncertain, a more neutral title requesting an investigation into the underlying conduct may be appropriate.
How to write a petition to the EFCC in Nigeria
3. Identify the Petitioner
The petition should clearly identify the person or organization making the complaint.
This may include:
- Full name;
- Residential or business address;
- Telephone number;
- Email address; and
- Where applicable, the name and position of an authorized representative.
For example:
My name is Mr. Chinedu Okafor, of No. 14 Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja, and I write this petition to formally report circumstances involving an alleged fraudulent transaction with Mr. Tunde Adebayo.
Where a lawyer is writing the petition, the petition should make it clear that the solicitor is acting on behalf of the client.
4. Identify the Person Complained Against
Provide as much identifying information as is reasonably available about the suspect or respondent.
This may include:
- Full name;
- Residential address;
- Business address;
- Telephone number;
- Email address;
- Occupation or position;
- Company name;
- Corporate registration details;
- Bank account information;
- Vehicle details; and
- Any other information that may assist the Police in identifying or locating the person.
Do not invent information.
If the respondent’s residential address is unknown, simply state that it is unknown and provide the other identifying information available.
5. State the Facts Clearly and Chronologically
The factual narrative is one of the most important parts of a police petition.
The events should generally be presented in chronological order so that the investigating officer can understand what happened without having to reconstruct the story from multiple documents.
Depending on the circumstances, the petition should explain:
- When the parties first met or began dealing with each other;
- What representation was made;
- What agreement or arrangement was reached;
- What the petitioner did in reliance on that representation;
- The amount of money or property involved;
- How and when payment or delivery occurred;
- What subsequently happened;
- When the petitioner discovered the alleged wrongdoing;
- What steps were taken afterwards;
- What response was received from the person complained against; and
- What evidence is available.
The petition should avoid unnecessary emotional language, exaggeration and irrelevant background information.
A good police petition should allow an investigator who has no prior knowledge of the matter to understand the who, what, when, where, how and evidence of the complaint.
7. Identify and Explain the Evidence
A police petition should not merely state that evidence exists. Where useful, identify the documents or information available and explain how they relate to the complaint.
Depending on the circumstances, evidence may include:
- Bank transfer receipts;
- Bank statements;
- Contracts and agreements;
- Invoices;
- Receipts;
- WhatsApp conversations;
- Emails;
- Text messages;
- Witness information; and
- Other documents relevant to the complaint.
The petitioner should preserve original documents and electronic evidence.
Evidence should not be altered, fabricated or deliberately presented in a misleading manner.
8. Attach Supporting Documents
Where documents support the allegations, they should be properly organized and attached to the petition.
For example:
LIST OF DOCUMENTS
- Copy of bank transfer receipt dated 14 March 2026;
- Copy of the agreement between the parties;
- Relevant WhatsApp correspondence;
- Copy of demand letter dated 20 April 2026; and
- Other relevant supporting documents.
Where there are numerous documents, it is often useful to organise them chronologically or by category and refer to them clearly in the body of the petition.
9. State the Action You Are Requesting
The petition should clearly state what the petitioner wants the Police to do.
A request may include:
- Investigation into the allegations;
- Invitation of the person complained against for questioning;
- Recovery of relevant evidence;
- Identification and interviewing of relevant witnesses;
- Investigation of relevant financial or transaction records; and
- Any other lawful investigative action considered appropriate.
The petitioner should avoid demanding that the Police declare a person guilty before an investigation has been conducted.
A suitable concluding request may be:
In view of the foregoing, we respectfully request that your office cause the allegations contained in this petition to be investigated and take such further lawful action as may be appropriate based on the outcome of the investigation.
10. Sign and Date the Petition
The petition should be signed and dated by the petitioner or, where applicable, the lawyer acting on the petitioner’s behalf.
Where a solicitor is preparing the petition, the law firm’s details and contact information should ordinarily appear appropriately on the document.
Can a Lawyer Write a Police Petition?
Yes. A lawyer can prepare and submit a police petition on behalf of a client.
Using a solicitor can be particularly useful where the matter involves substantial financial loss, complicated transactions, multiple parties, company or property issues, extensive documentary evidence, or potentially overlapping civil and criminal issues.
A lawyer can assist with:
- Establishing the relevant facts;
- Identifying potential criminal offences arising from the facts;
- Reviewing documentary and electronic evidence;
- Structuring the petition;
- Preparing supporting documents;
- Presenting the complaint to the appropriate police authority;
- Corresponding with investigators;
- Attending meetings or interviews where appropriate; and
- Advising the client on the legal implications of the investigation.
A solicitor should, however, ensure that a criminal complaint is based on genuine facts and evidence rather than using the police process simply as a means of exerting unlawful pressure in a private dispute.
Police Petition for Fraud in Nigeria
Fraud-related complaints are among the matters for which people frequently seek assistance in preparing police petitions.
A fraud complaint may arise from circumstances involving money, property, business transactions, investments, contractual dealings or representations allegedly made to obtain a financial or other advantage.
However, the mere fact that a transaction has gone wrong or that one party has failed to perform a contract does not automatically mean that a criminal offence has occurred.
The facts must be examined carefully to determine whether the circumstances disclose a potentially criminal act or are primarily a civil or contractual dispute.
This distinction is particularly important when preparing a police petition for fraud in Nigeria.
Police Petition and Civil Disputes
Not every disagreement between two parties should be presented as a criminal matter.
For example, a failed commercial transaction, unpaid debt, breach of contract or disagreement over contractual obligations may involve civil remedies depending on the facts.
At the same time, conduct occurring within a contractual or commercial relationship may, depending on the evidence, also disclose criminal conduct.
The appropriate legal characterization therefore depends on the actual facts and applicable law.
A properly prepared petition should present the facts objectively and allow the appropriate authority to determine the investigative steps required.
Can a Police Petition Be Withdrawn?
The consequences of seeking to withdraw a police petition depend on the circumstances of the complaint, the nature of the alleged offence and the stage of the investigation.
A petitioner should therefore obtain appropriate legal advice before attempting to withdraw or discontinue a complaint, particularly where an investigation has already commenced or where the allegations concern serious criminal conduct.
Need a Lawyer to Draft a Police Petition in Nigeria?
If you have been affected by alleged fraud, criminal breach of trust, conversion, forgery, threats, assault, property-related offences, cybercrime or another potentially criminal act, it is important to properly document the facts and evidence before approaching the Police.
At Olamide Oyetayo & Co., we assist individuals, businesses and organizations with the preparation of police petitions, criminal complaints, legal correspondence and petitions to relevant law-enforcement authorities in Nigeria.
Our solicitors can review the facts of your matter, assess the available evidence, identify the appropriate legal issues and prepare a professionally structured petition addressed to the appropriate authority.