Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Olu Daramola, Olalekan Ojo and Isiaka Olagunju, have said Nigerians have the right to record police officers while the officers are carrying out their duties in public spaces.

Their comments were shared online and quickly drew attention, with the post gathering thousands of views within hours and prompting a wave of reactions from social media users who welcomed the position.

Their stance reflects a growing legal consensus on the issue in Nigeria. A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, recently ruled in a case brought by a lawyer against the police that citizens are constitutionally entitled to record and document officers performing official duties in public, including during stop and search operations, and that any attempt to harass, intimidate or arrest citizens for doing so, or to seize their devices, is unlawful.

The court also held that officers must display visible identification such as name tags and force numbers while on duty.

The Nigeria Police Force has itself previously acknowledged this right through past public statements from its spokespersons, who noted that recording officers on duty is permitted and that those who harass citizens for doing so are acting outside the rules. Even so, complaints about officers reacting angrily or attempting to stop members of the public from filming them remain common, which observers say is part of why reminders from senior lawyers and the courts continue to resonate with the public.