Nigerians have right to film police on duty, lawyer counters IG warning

Legal expert Inibehe Effiong has challenged the Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu's warning against Nigerians recording police officers for social media content. Effiong argued that the Nigeria Police Force is itself a content-creating entity, operating various platforms to disseminate information. During an interview on Channels Television, Effiong questioned the criteria for classifying content creation and whether it should be based on financial gain or public enlightenment.

He emphasized that the police's operations, including social media handles, a website, and a radio station, qualify them as content creators. Effiong pointed out that the broad definition of content creation could also apply to the police, given their various platforms for content production. He urged clarification on whether the IGP's warning targeted skit makers, entertainers, or pranksters.

Effiong also questioned the police's concern about citizens recording officers while performing their duties, noting that he had not seen evidence of widespread such practice on social media. He urged the police to provide examples supporting Disu's concern. Effiong reiterated that Nigerians have a constitutional right to record law enforcement officers while carrying out their statutory responsibilities in public, protected under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.