Court affirms Nigerians’ right to record police in public

By Johnson Arua

The Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has ruled that Nigerians have the constitutional right to record police officers while performing their duties in public spaces.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday in suit number FHC/WR/CS/87/2025, Justice H. A. Nganjiwa held that police officers are required to wear visible name tags and display their force numbers while on duty.

The court further ruled that officers must not harass, intimidate, arrest, or confiscate devices from citizens documenting their activities.

The court awarded the applicant, Maxwell Uwaifo, N5 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights, along with an additional N2 million to cover litigation costs.

By granting all the reliefs sought, the court reaffirmed the right of citizens to freely document police conduct in public without fear of harassment or retaliation.

Reacting to the judgment, Uwaifo described it as a significant milestone for accountability and civil liberties in Nigeria.

“This judgment has far-reaching implications for policing standards, civil liberties, and public accountability across the country,” he said in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday. “The court made strong pronouncements on police accountability and citizens’ constitutional rights.”