Nigerians have been legally affirmed in their right to record police officers during stop-and-search operations following a landmark ruling by a Federal High Court in Delta State.
In a significant victory for civil liberties, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court in Delta State ruled on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, that citizens have a constitutional right to record police officers performing their duties in public spaces. The judgment was the result of a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by human rights lawyer Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo. Uwaifo dragged the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to court after a May 2025 encounter at the Sapele roundabout, where officers allegedly harassed him and threatened him with arrest for attempting to record their aggressive conduct. Justice Nganjiwa’s ruling establishes that recording such interactions is a legitimate tool for transparency and does not constitute an obstruction of justice.
The court also addressed the growing concern over “anonymous policing,” where officers conduct operations without identifiable markings. The judge ruled that it is unconstitutional for police officers to carry out stop-and-search duties without visible name tags and force numbers. Uwaifo, in a statement following the verdict, noted that the judge made “far-reaching pronouncements on police accountability and citizens’ constitutional rights,” specifically emphasizing that officers must be identifiable to the public they serve. The ruling effectively bars the police from seizing phones or assaulting citizens simply for documenting their professional conduct, provided such recording does not physically impede the officer’s work.
This judicial pronouncement comes amid ongoing national discourse regarding police reform and the prevention of extortion at checkpoints. By legalizing the use of personal devices to document police interactions, the court has provided a new layer of protection for Nigerians against arbitrary harassment. Legal experts suggest that this ruling will serve as a vital precedent in future cases of police brutality, as digital evidence captured by citizens now carries clear judicial backing. As the news of the ruling spreads, civil society groups are calling on the Police Service Commission (PSC) to ensure immediate compliance across all commands to prevent further violations of this newly affirmed right.
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