TD Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has urged Nigerians to exercise restraint when recording police officers, particularly when such recordings are intended for comedy skits or social media content.
Disu said indiscriminate recording of officers had become a source of concern within the Nigeria Police Force.
He argues that officers performing difficult and potentially dangerous duties require maximum concentration.
“We Are Not Saying They Cannot Exercise Their Rights”
The Inspector-General acknowledged that citizens have the right to record police officers performing their duties in public spaces.
However, he urged members of the public to exercise the right responsibly and avoid turning police officers into entertainment content.
“We are not saying they cannot exercise their rights of recording officers in the public places while doing their jobs.
“But they should put restraints and not turn our police officers to content for their skits or anything,” Disu said.
Disu Questions Recording of Officers Outside Official Duties
The police chief said some Nigerians had begun recording officers wherever they encountered them, including when officers were not engaged in official operations.
“Can we come to your offices and record you in your offices?
“Can we record even in the courts?” he asked.
He added that some individuals had gone as far as recording police officers while they were eating at restaurants.
“And this can be embarrassing,” Disu said/.
He described the development as “very, very demoralizing” to police personnel.
“We Are Doing Very Difficult Jobs” ~ Disu
Disu stressed that police officers operate in challenging environments and need to remain focused on their responsibilities.
“We are doing very difficult jobs, and we need all the concentration in the world to do our jobs,” he said.
He specifically cited officers deployed to checkpoints on highways and in isolated areas.
“If you look at where we have our officers on checking points, there are dangerous areas thick in the forest, thick in the bushes, on the highways, middle of nowhere,” the IGP said.
Officers Spend Day and Night Protecting Nigerians
According to Disu, officers deployed to remote checkpoints often remain at their posts throughout the day and night to protect other road users and communities.
“And these officers will stay there morning and night to do their job to keep other people safe,” he said.
He therefore appealed to Nigerians to distinguish between legitimate documentation of police conduct and recording officers simply to generate social media entertainment.
Debate Follows Court Ruling on Recording Police
The comments by Disu come amid renewed public discussion over citizens’ right to film police officers in public.
A Federal High Court judgment in March 2026 affirmed the right of Nigerians to record and publish matters of public interest.
This includes police activities carried out in public spaces.
The ruling has since generated debate over how the right should be exercised without obstructing police operations or unnecessarily invading officers’ privacy.
Disu Demands Balancing Accountability with Restraint
The call by IGP Disu highlights the need to strike a balance between citizens’ right to document police conduct and the operational requirements of law enforcement.
Recording police officers in public can serve as an important accountability mechanism.
However, Disu’s comments suggest that the police expect members of the public to avoid interfering with officers.
They should also desist from using them primarily as material for comedy and social media skits.
The debate is expected to continue as Nigerians, civil society organisations and police authorities consider how the constitutional right to record public officials should operate alongside the need for effective policing.
