Court Rules  Nigerians Can Record Police During Stop-and-Search

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Federal High Court in Delta State has ruled that Nigerians are allowed to record police officers during stop-and-search operations in public.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa in a case filed by lawyer Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo.

The suit was filed against the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The court held that Nigerians have the right to record police officers performing their duties in public. It also ruled that police officers must wear visible name tags and display their force numbers while on duty. According to the court, it is illegal for officers to harass, intimidate, arrest, or seize phones from citizens who are recording them.

Justice Nganjiwa also declared that “anonymous policing” is unconstitutional.

The case followed an incident in 2025 when Uwaifo said he was stopped by police officers near Sapele. He alleged that the officers were aggressive, had no identification, and threatened him when he tried to record their actions.

The court awarded him ₦5 million as damages for the violation of his rights and ₦2 million as the cost of the lawsuit. It also ordered the authorities to ensure that officers wear proper identification and respect the rights of citizens.

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