The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has condemned a police officer who threatened to kill anyone who filmed him on duty, calling the remarks incompatible with democratic policing and renewing demands for body-worn cameras across the country’s police force.
RULAAC condemned the act after a video went viral showing Officer Newton Isokpehi making the threat. The officer has since apologised, blaming his outburst on frustration over poor welfare conditions and trauma accumulated during service.
“His comments remain deeply troubling, unacceptable, and incompatible with the responsibilities of a law enforcement officer in a democratic society,” RULAAC Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma said in a statement.
The incident comes despite a recent court judgment affirming that Nigerians have a constitutional right to record police officers performing their duties in public spaces, a clarification the Nigeria Police Force has publicly acknowledged.
Nwanguma said citizens record police not out of hostility but out of necessity, pointing to what he described as a persistent history of misconduct. “Video recordings have become important tools for accountability, evidence preservation, and protection for both citizens and professional police officers against false allegations,” he said.
The group argued that an officer who objects to lawful public scrutiny while carrying firearms and exercising coercive powers raises serious questions. “The threats issued in the video could have resulted in tragic consequences if not for the public backlash and prompt attention generated online,” Nwanguma warned.
RULAAC said it recognised the real pressures facing police personnel — including inadequate pay, operational trauma, and poor equipment — but drew a firm line between grievance and conduct. “Poor welfare or frustration can never justify threats against citizens exercising their constitutional rights,” Nwanguma said.
The organisation used the incident to press for the nationwide rollout of body-worn cameras, arguing they protect both officers and the public. “Body cameras promote professionalism, discourage abuse, improve evidence gathering, and enhance public trust in policing,” the statement read.
RULAAC is calling on the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the incident and impose disciplinary measures, intensify training on citizens’ rights and digital accountability, fast-track the deployment of body cameras, improve officer welfare and mental health support, and publicly reassure Nigerians that no one will be threatened or harmed for lawfully filming police in public.
“Public trust in the police cannot be built through intimidation or threats, but through professionalism, openness, and respect for the rule of law,” Nwanguma said.
