The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has cautioned Nigerians against recording police officers while they are on duty and using such footage as entertainment or skit content, describing the practice as demoralising.
Disu said police officers need to remain focused on their duties and should not be unnecessarily distracted by members of the public recording them while they work.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the police chief referred to a recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, which affirmed that Nigerians have a constitutional right to record police officers performing their duties in public spaces.
In the landmark judgment delivered on March 17, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/87/2025, Justice H. A. Nganjiwa held that arresting, harassing, intimidating or confiscating the devices of individuals solely for filming police activities violates Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.
However, Disu said: “Can we come to your offices and record you in your offices? Can we record even in the court? We were discussing it yesterday and spoke about people coming to our offices with unsealed cameras.
“We checked the law and our officers came up with write ups, citing a lot of authorities. The recent judgment on the recording of police officers became something of concern to us because the citizens started coming out with their phones to record police officers everywhere and this can be embarrassing.
“Some even went to restaurants and started recording police officers. Everywhere they see a police officer they start recording and this is very demoralizing to us.
“We are doing very difficult jobs and we need all the concentration in the world to be able to do our jobs. We are not saying they can’t exercise their rights of recording officers in public places while doing their jobs but they should put restraint and not turn our police officers into content for their skit or anything.
“If you look at where we have our officers, they are dangerous areas thick in the forest, thick in the bushes and on the highways. In the middle of nowhere these officers will stay there morning and night to do their jobs of keeping other people safe.”
