A Federal High Court has affirmed the right of Nigerians to record police officers during public duties, including at stop-and-search points. The judgment arose from a suit filed by Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo against the Inspector-General of Police. The court ruled that officers on checkpoint duty must wear uniforms displaying full names and force numbers, awarded N5 million in compensation to the plaintiff, and assessed N2 million in costs. The decision follows years of documented cases where citizens and journalists were threatened or arrested for filming police misconduct, a key grievance that fueled the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Lawyer Otunba Tunde Falola described the ruling as "legally sound and progressive," but highlighted the Nigeria Police Force's history of "selective compliance with court orders." He attributed this to weak internal discipline, lack of consequences for contempt, and a culture of impunity. Dr. Chinedu Obienu of Zest Partners called the judgment "a welcome development," noting that audio or video recordings could prevent forced confessions. Edetaen Ojo of Media Rights Agenda termed it "a judgment absolutely worth celebrating," emphasizing its importance for evidence in rights violations.
The court didn't create a new right—it reaffirmed one the constitution already guarantees. The real issue isn't the clarity of the ruling but the police force's long record of ignoring judgments that limit its power, as Otunba Tunde Falola rightly pointed out. If officers on the beat don't know the judgment exists, and no mechanism ensures compliance, then N5 million awards won't change daily encounters. For Nigerians, this means the right to film may remain a paper victory until enforcement catches up with the law.
