The Nigeria Police Force has clarified that Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, is not opposed to citizens recording police officers, adding that his concern is the misuse of such recordings.
The Force New Media Officer, Aliyu Giwa, made the clarification in a series of posts on X on Saturday, following controversy over the IGP’s recent comments on Nigerians filming police officers.
Giwa said Disu’s position had been misinterpreted, stressing that the police were not seeking to shield officers from accountability or deny citizens their rights.
“The IGP’s concern is not to shield Police officers from accountability or deny citizens their rights. Instead, it focuses on the misuse of recordings, especially when officers are provoked, ridiculed, filmed for entertainment, or subjected to unnecessary intrusion while performing their duties,” Giwa stated.
He said there was a distinction between responsible documentation and deliberately exploiting encounters with police officers for social media content.
“It is important to distinguish between responsible documentation and the deliberate exploitation of Police encounters for social media content,” he said.
According to Giwa, legitimate recordings could benefit both citizens and police officers by providing evidence when misconduct occurs and protecting officers against false allegations.
“As a public institution, the Police must remain open to legitimate scrutiny. Evidence is essential when an officer acts improperly. Similarly, responsible recording can protect officers from false allegations and support investigations,” he said.
He, however, maintained that police officers were entitled to dignity and privacy.
“However, wearing the uniform does not remove an officer’s right to dignity or privacy,” Giwa said.
The clarification followed an X user’s criticism of the IGP’s position, with the user arguing that the police should equip officers with body cameras if they were opposed to citizens recording them.
Responding to the comment, Giwa said Disu had not rejected the recording of police officers generally.
“While you are allowed to interpret it as you see fit, the message from the IGP was concerning the misuse of recordings, not a general rejection of legitimate documentation or accountability,” he said.
Giwa also confirmed that body cameras were being considered as part of broader efforts towards accountable policing.
“Body cameras are, in fact, part of the broader conversation about modern, accountable policing, and they can protect both citizens and officers,” he stated.
He urged Nigerians to discuss the issue without resorting to insults, saying both the police and citizens ultimately share the objective of achieving a safer Nigeria.
“The police need to be accountable, and citizens should exercise their rights responsibly. We can have that discussion without insults. The end aim is the same, a more professional Police Force and a safer Nigeria,” Giwa said.
He also rejected the framing of the controversy as a confrontation between the police and the public, or between the IGP and the Nigerian Bar Association.
“Therefore, the conversation should not be framed as Police versus the public or the IGP versus the NBA,” he said.
“Instead, it should focus on balancing accountability with responsibility, transparency with privacy, and citizens’ rights with the professional discharge of Police duties,” he added.
The clarification followed a recent courtesy visit by NBA leadership to Disu at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where the issue of recording police officers was discussed.
Disu had expressed concern over Nigerians recording police officers, particularly for social media skits, describing the practice as “very, very demoralising” for members of the Force.
The IGP, however, acknowledged that citizens had the right to record officers performing their duties in public.
“We are not saying they cannot exercise their rights to record officers in public places while doing their jobs,” Disu said.
“But they should exercise restraint and not turn our police officers into content for their skits or anything,” he added.
His comments sparked criticism from lawyers, human rights groups, and other Nigerians, with some insisting that citizens have a constitutional right to document police officers while they perform their duties in public.
NBA President Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya also said there should be a distinction between legitimate recording of police activities and intrusion into officers’ private lives.
The controversy followed a March 17 judgment of the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, which affirmed Nigerians’ right to record police officers while they perform their duties in public.
Giwa said the engagement between the IGP and NBA leadership demonstrated that institutions could disagree while still engaging constructively.
“The engagement between the IGP and NBA leadership demonstrates that strong institutions can engage constructively, clarify positions, and collaborate despite differing perspectives,” he said.
He said neither the police nor citizens should fear the use of cameras.
“In the digital age, the solution is not to fear the camera. Instead, we should use technology responsibly, uphold professionalism, and let truth, rather than social media narratives, define the conversation,” Giwa said.
“The camera should not weaken the institution. Also, institutions should not fear legitimate scrutiny. Both must ultimately serve the truth, justice, and the Nigerian people,” he added. (The Nation)
