Police: No Crime In Videoing Officers On Duty
The Nigeria Police Force has reaffirmed that citizens have the right to video and take photos of police officers on duty, and urged anyone who is harassed or extorted for doing so to report the incident to the authorities.
This was stated by the Force spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Thursday, in response to an X (formerly Twitter) user who claimed that some police officers forced him to pay N10,000 for videoing them during a stop-and-search operation.
The X user, @Boy_Cyril, wrote on his handle, “Sir, is it a crime to video during stop and search because I had to pay N10,000 for those officers to give me back my phone after taking it forcefully from me just now.”
Adejobi replied, “You can video or take pictures of policemen on duty. We have said it severally. There is nothing wrong with that. You can take up the case. Send an sms to me or to our email box, Pressforabuja@police.gov.ng. you can as well talk to your PPRO.”
He added that videoing and taking pictures of police officers on duty is not only legal, but also encouraged, as it can help to expose any misconduct or unprofessionalism by the officers.
He said, “Every policeman knows that videoing and taking pictures of them on duty is allowed and permitted. Those who attack or harass people for such are just deviants and recalcitrant and unprofessional. Or have you seen anyone of them telling you he’s not aware? They all know. It’s like a case of a criminal who knows committing crimes is criminal and punishable, yet he does it until he’s caught.”
