The Nigeria Police Force has clarified that Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, does not oppose Nigerians recording police officers while they perform their duties in public, saying his concern is the responsible use of such recordings.
The clarification was made by the Force New Media Officer, Aliyu Giwa, in a series of posts on X on Saturday, following reactions to comments made by the IGP during a recent meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Giwa explained that Disu’s position was not intended to prevent citizens from documenting police activities or scrutinising officers in the discharge of their duties. Rather, he said the police leadership was concerned about instances where encounters with officers were deliberately turned into social media entertainment, including skits that could ridicule or demoralise personnel.
According to him, responsible recording can serve an important purpose by promoting accountability, providing evidence of misconduct and protecting police officers against false allegations. He therefore acknowledged the legitimate right of members of the public to document police activities in public spaces.
The Force spokesperson, however, urged Nigerians exercising that right to do so responsibly, advising against provoking officers, ridiculing them or unnecessarily invading their privacy while they are carrying out their duties.
The clarification followed the IGP’s remarks that the use of police officers as subjects of social media skits was demoralising to personnel. Disu, however, acknowledged during the engagement that citizens were entitled to record police officers performing their duties in public.
The comments had generated reactions from lawyers, rights advocates and other members of the public, with some stressing the importance of citizens being able to document police conduct. Giwa’s clarification was therefore aimed at distinguishing the IGP’s objection to the misuse of recordings from any attempt to prevent lawful public documentation of police activities.
Giwa also disclosed that the use of body-worn cameras was being considered as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability within the Nigeria Police Force. He said such technology could benefit both police officers and members of the public by providing an objective record of encounters during police operations and interactions with citizens.
He further noted that the issue had to be approached through a balance between accountability, privacy and professionalism. According to him, technology should be deployed to strengthen trust between the police and the public rather than create unnecessary confrontation between officers and citizens.
The clarification also comes against the backdrop of a March 17 judgment of the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, which affirmed the right of Nigerians to record police officers while performing their duties in public. Giwa said the engagement between the police leadership and the NBA demonstrated that disagreements concerning policing and citizens’ rights could be addressed through constructive dialogue, stressing that both the police and the public have a shared responsibility to promote professionalism, justice and a safer Nigeria.
