Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has faulted a recent comment by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, that Nigerians should exercise restraint in filming police officers on duty. On 17 March, the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State delivered a landmark judgement which affirmed Nigerians’ constitutional right to record police officers while they perform their duties in public.
During an interaction with the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr Disu said police operatives were “jostled” by the court judgement. The IGP stressed that, in response to the judgement, Nigerians started recording police officers everywhere, including at restaurants. “This can be demoralising. Can we come to your offices and record you? Can we record even in the court?
People coming to our offices with concealed cameras,” the IGP had said. While appearing as a guest on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Mr Effiong argued that Mr Disu’s complaints against filming of officers suggests that he might have been overwhelmed by cases of police misconduct confronting him. The lawyer particularly faulted the IGP’s reference to anti-recording rule in Nigerian courtrooms.
He acknowledged that while it is true that filming proceedings in Nigerian courts was prohibited, it is not a situation to be proud of, especially considering that court proceedings are streamed live in Kenya, Uganda and other parts of Africa. “So this is not something to be proud of. It is a challenge for the judiciary,” the lawyer said of the anti-filming rule in Nigerian courtrooms.
Mr Effiong clarified that while he supports calls to allow filming of court proceedings in Nigeria, such rule should not apply in all cases. “So, the example that he (IGP) has cited is a false example. It’s a false equivalent. I do not agree with it,” he