Police IG and NBA President Discuss Concerns and Boundaries Over Recording Police Officers

Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has raised concerns about the increasing trend of citizens recording police officers with their phones, describing it as “very, very demoralising” for the police force.

In a video shared by TV Platinum on Wednesday, Disu spoke in Abuja during a meeting with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, and members of the NBA executive committee. The meeting aimed to address and prevent ongoing conflicts between lawyers and police officers.

Disu noted that a recent court ruling on recording police officers had unsettled the force, leading to citizens frequently filming officers in various locations. “The recent judgment on recording police officers really jolted our officers. It became a concern because citizens started recording police officers wherever they saw them,” he explained.

He added that this behavior had extended beyond public police operations, with some people even recording officers in restaurants. “Everywhere you see a police officer, people start recording them. This has been very demoralising for us,” the IG said.

However, Disu acknowledged that citizens have the right to record police officers while they perform their duties in public but urged that this right be exercised with restraint. “We are not saying they cannot record officers in public while doing their jobs,” he said, “but they should exercise restraint and not turn our officers into content for skits or entertainment.”

The police chief also highlighted the challenging environments where officers work, especially at checkpoints and remote locations. “Our officers are stationed in dangerous areas—dense forests, bushes, highways, and isolated places—often staying there day and night to protect the public,” he said.

Responding to these concerns, NBA President Badejo-Okusanya emphasized the need to differentiate between legitimate recording of police activities and invasions of officers’ privacy. “Recording policemen while they are sitting and eating intrudes on their privacy,” she said, urging consideration of the officers’ perspective.

Nonetheless, she stressed that transparency in lawful police duties should not be compromised. “We should not fear transparency in the lawful execution of our duties,” Badejo-Okusanya stated.

She pointed to the use of body cameras by police officers in the United States as an example of how recording can enhance accountability. “The introduction of body cams in the US was meant to ensure that officers are monitored, knowing their actions are being recorded,” she explained.

Such measures, she said, help identify and discipline officers who engage in misconduct.

Badejo-Okusanya concluded that the solution is not to stop recording altogether but to set clear boundaries regarding privacy and lawful recording of police officers. “We need to understand the limits,” she said, suggesting that existing laws could be strengthened or better interpreted to prevent misuse of the right to record.

She called for cooperation between lawyers and police officers, describing them as “partners in the shared goal of ensuring a safe and vibrant society that respects the rule of law.”