The Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has ruled that Nigerians have the constitutional right to record police officers performing their duties in public, setting a major precedent for accountability and civil liberties.
The judge, H. A. Nganjiwa, emphasised in his ruling on Tuesday in a case titled FHC/WR/CS/87/2025 that officers must wear name tags that are clearly visible, display their force numbers, and refrain from harassing, intimidating, arresting, or confiscating devices from citizens who record their actions.
Maxwell Uwaifo, the applicant, received N5 million from the court for the infringement of his fundamental rights, plus a further N2 million for legal fees.
The people’s freedom to record offficers actions in public areas without fear of retaliation was strengthened when all of the applicant’s requests were fulfilled.
“This judgement has significant implications for policing standards, civil liberties, and public accountability across Nigeria,” Mr Uwaifo said in a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.
“The court made far-reaching pronouncements on police accountability and citizens’ constitutional rights.”
How it started
Mr. Uwaifo filed the lawsuit as a public interest lawsuit, contesting the legitimacy of stop-and-search procedures carried out without officers wearing name tags or force numbers.
The Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and the Attorney-General of the Federation were named as respondents in the lawsuit.
Filed under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, and relevant sections of the Nigerian constitution, the suit also cited provisions including Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, and 46, as well as Articles 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Police support video recordings
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) officially acknowledged in December 2023 that civilians are able to record policemen while they are on duty.
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the then-Force spokesperson, said in a post on X that it is not illegal to video or take pictures of cops and that harassing people who do so is misbehaviour.
Even while there have been several instances of police brutality, especially during stop-and-search operations, the widespread use of smartphones has increased the frequency of recording confrontations.
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