A video of a man who identified himself as a police officer threatening to kill any Nigerian who records him while on duty has gone viral.
In the less-than-three-minute video, the man, identified as Newton Isokpehi, criticised the directive allowing citizens to record police officers during public operations.
The officer, who spoke in Pidgin English, also threatened to shoot passengers in a bus if anyone in the vehicle filmed him while he was on duty.
In the viral clip, Isokpehi said any senior police officer who encouraged Nigerians to record policemen on duty would be responsible for the burial of anyone who attempted to film him.
“Any day I’m on duty as an officer while holding my rifle, let someone video me. That oga who gave the order that police officers should be filmed, he will do your burial. I will kill anyone who films me on duty,” he said.
The man claimed that he had spent 26 years in the police service.
He also lamented what he described as poor working conditions in the force, saying police officers were not properly cared for in the country.
Isokpehi said the new administration of Tunji Disu, the Inspector-General of Police, was working to improve the welfare of officers.
The man also operates a TikTok account, @actor459, where he posts videos of himself dressed in a police uniform.
The name “Newton Isokpehi” is displayed on his uniforms in some of the videos.
Court Backs Citizens’ Right To Record Police
In March, a Federal High Court in Delta State ruled that Nigerians have the right to record police officers carrying out stop-and-search operations in public places.
Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa gave the ruling in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by a lawyer, Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo.
The judge held that citizens have a constitutional right to record police officers while they are performing their duties.
In April, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, also said Nigerians could record police officers on duty.
He said officers had nothing to fear if they were conducting themselves lawfully.
Watch the video below: