…Officers Must Wear Name Tags and Force Numbers
…Stops Harassment, Confiscation Of Device
Daud Olatunji
Federal High Court in Warri has affirmed that Nigerians have the constitutional right to record police officers while performing their duties in public.
Delivering judgement on Tuesday in suit number FHC/WR/CS/87/2025, Justice H. A. Nganjiwa declared that no law prohibits citizens from filming law enforcement officers during public operations.
The court further ruled that officers of the Nigeria Police Force must not intimidate, harass, arrest, or confiscate devices from anyone recording their actions.
The court also directed that all officers must wear clearly visible name tags and display their force numbers, especially during stop-and-search operations and checkpoints.
The applicant, Maxwell Uwaifo, was awarded N5 million for violation of his fundamental rights and an additional N2 million to cover litigation costs.
He filed the suit as a public interest litigation against the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Uwaifo challenged the legality of stop-and-search operations conducted by officers who refused to identify themselves.
He argued that attempts to prevent citizens from filming—through threats, harassment, or confiscation of devices violated Section 39 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.
He also sought a perpetual injunction restraining security agencies from intimidating or arresting Nigerians who record police activities in public.
Justice Nganjiwa granted all the reliefs sought, emphasising that “anonymous policing”—where officers operate in mufti or incomplete uniforms—is unconstitutional and fosters impunity.
Uwaifo, reacting to the judgement, described it as “far-reaching,” noting that it reinforces transparency, civil liberties, and accountability in policing.
Court records indicate the case stemmed from repeated encounters where officers allegedly blocked, threatened, and attempted to intimidate him and others when recording public policing activities, including a May 2025 incident between Benin and Warri.
Legal analysts say the ruling aligns with the Police Act, 2020, which mandates officers to display proper identification, and reiterates earlier statements by the police confirming that recording officers on duty is lawful.
The judgement comes against a backdrop of ongoing public concerns over police misconduct, particularly during stop-and-search operations—a legacy of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, whose abuses sparked nationwide #EndSARS protests in 2020.
Experts believe the ruling could serve as a legal benchmark for enforcing accountability and restoring public trust in law enforcement across Nigeria.
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