The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced plans to discipline officers seen in a viral video allegedly harassing two young men in the Abulado area of Lagos.
The footage, shared by a user on X, showed officers said to be on stop-and-search duty attempting to inspect the bags of the individuals while allegedly threatening them.
One of the young men was heard saying in Pidgin English: “I have never seen a police officer carry a driver to one side to search him away from where his car is parked on the road.”
In an update posted on X on Saturday, the police complaint response unit stated that the inspector-general of police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has directed the divisional police officer (DPO) of Satellite Town, Lagos, to present the officers in Abuja on April 8 for disciplinary proceedings.
The police confirmed that the officers involved have been identified and will face appropriate sanctions.
“Dear members of the public, the policemen in the viral video have been identified and appropriate disciplinary actions await them accordingly. We seek your support and trust as we fight impunity to a standstill,” the statement read.
The incident was reportedly recorded using smart eyeglasses worn by one of the young men.
In March, a federal high court ruled that Nigerians have the right to record police officers during stop-and-search operations in public spaces.
The judgement followed a fundamental rights suit filed by lawyer Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo, who alleged harassment by officers in Edo.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa stated that “anonymous policing is unconstitutional” and affirmed that citizens are entitled to record officers performing their duties in public.
The court also held that it is unlawful for police to harass, intimidate, arrest, or seize devices from individuals for recording them.
The police have yet to disclose further details regarding the specific disciplinary measures to be taken.