The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ruled that Nigerians have the constitutional right to record police officers while performing their duties in public, in a judgement seen as a boost for accountability and civil liberties.
Delivering the ruling on Tuesday in suit No. FHC/WR/CS/87/2025 obtained by Premium Times, Justice H. A. Nganjiwa held that police officers must wear visible name tags, display their force numbers, and refrain from harassing, intimidating, arresting, or confiscating devices from citizens recording their activities.
The court also awarded the applicant, Maxwell Uwaifo, N5 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights, alongside N2 million as cost of litigation.
All the reliefs sought by the applicant were granted, reinforcing the right of citizens to document police conduct in public spaces without fear of reprisal.
Reacting to the judgement, Uwaifo described it as far-reaching.
“This judgement has significant implications for policing standards, civil liberties and public accountability across Nigeria,” he said in a statement to Premium Times.
“The court made far-reaching pronouncements on police accountability and citizens’ constitutional rights.”
The suit, filed as a public interest litigation, challenged the legality of police stop-and-search operations carried out without officers displaying proper identification.
Respondents in the case included the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Filed under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, the action cited several provisions of the 1999 Constitution, including Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41 and 46, as well as relevant articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
In the originating summons, the applicant asked the court to determine whether citizens can lawfully record police officers and whether harassment or arrest for such actions amounts to a violation of fundamental rights.
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