Lawyer Counters IGP Warning, Says Nigerians Can Film Police on Duty

A lawyer has challenged the position of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on citizens recording police officers while on duty, arguing that Nigerians have the right to film law enforcement activities carried out in public.

The lawyer said there was no general law prohibiting citizens from recording police officers performing their duties in public, provided such recording did not interfere with police operations.

The position comes amid renewed debate over the practice of citizens using mobile phones to document encounters with police officers, particularly at checkpoints and during arrests.

The lawyer argued that recording public officials performing public duties could serve as a means of accountability and provide evidence where disputes arise over police conduct.

A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, had also affirmed citizens’ right to record police officers carrying out their duties in public.

The development follows concerns over police warnings against recording officers, with the issue generating debate over the balance between police authority, operational security and citizens’ constitutional freedoms.

The lawyer maintained that citizens should not be arrested or harassed merely for recording police activities, unless their conduct independently amounts to an offence or obstructs lawful police operations.