In a significant victory for transparency and fundamental rights the Federal High Court sitting in Warri Delta State has declared that Nigerian citizens have the constitutional right to record photograph and document police officers while they perform their duties in public spaces including during stop and search operations. Justice H A Nganjiwa delivered the judgment on Tuesday granting all reliefs sought in the public interest litigation suit marked FHC/WR/CS/87/2025 filed by applicant Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo.

The court held that there is no law prohibiting citizens from filming law enforcement officers in public and emphasized that any arrest harassment intimidation or seizure of devices such as phones for recording police activities is unconstitutional. It further declared anonymous policing unlawful stating that police officers must wear clearly visible name tags and display their force numbers especially at checkpoints and during stop and search procedures to ensure accountability.

The ruling stems from a challenge to the legality of police conduct where officers failed to identify themselves properly leading to alleged rights violations. By upholding the applicant’s claims the court reinforced the public’s entitlement to monitor and document police actions without fear of reprisal promoting greater civilian oversight in interactions with security forces.

As part of the decision Justice Nganjiwa awarded the applicant N5 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights plus an additional N2 million to cover litigation costs totaling N7 million. This precedent setting judgment is expected to curb excesses curb arbitrary actions by officers and encourage responsible use of recording devices in public interest scenarios while sparking nationwide discussions on police reform citizen rights and the balance between security duties and civil liberties.