Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has expressed concern over the growing practice of citizens recording police officers with their phones, saying the trend has become “very, very demoralising” for members of the force.

In a video shared by TV Platinum on Wednesday, Disu spoke in Abuja during a meeting with the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, and members of the NBA executive committee. The meeting was part of efforts to prevent recurring clashes between lawyers and police officers.

The IG said a recent judgment on the recording of police officers had raised concern within the force, noting that citizens had subsequently begun recording officers in different locations.

“The recent judgement on recording of police officers, that one really jolted our officers. And it became something of concern to us because the citizens started coming out with their phones to record police officers everywhere they saw them,” Disu said.

He said the practice had extended beyond police operations in public places, claiming that some people had gone to restaurants to record officers.

“Everywhere you see a police man, start recording a police man. So this is something that was very, very demoralising to us,” the IGP said.

Disu, however, acknowledged that citizens had the right to record police officers performing their duties in public, but urged restraint in how such recordings were made and used.

“We are not saying they cannot exercise their rights of recording officers in the public places while doing their jobs,” he said.

“But they should put restraints and not turn our police officers to content for their skits or anything,” he added.

The police chief also highlighted the difficult conditions under which officers operate, particularly those deployed to checkpoints and isolated locations.

“If you look at where we have our officers on checking points, there are dangerous areas thick in the forest, thick in the bushes, on the highways, middle of nowhere,” Disu said, adding that officers often remained in such locations “morning and night” to protect the public.

Responding to the concern, Badejo-Okusanya said there was a need to distinguish between legitimate recording of police activities and intrusion into officers’ privacy.

“Policemen sitting down somewhere eating and people are recording them and intruding on their privacy,” she said, stressing the importance of considering the issue from the officers’ perspective.

However, the NBA president said transparency in the lawful execution of police duties should not be undermined.

“We should not be afraid of being transparent in the lawful execution of our duties,” Badejo-Okusanya said.

She cited the introduction of body cameras for police officers in the United States as an example of how recording can promote accountability.

“When the US introduced body cams for police officers, it was in order to promote that so that you yourself, you have a check, you know that whatever you’re doing, you have a body camera that is recording it,” she said.

According to her, such measures could help improve accountability and ensure that officers who engage in misconduct are identified and sanctioned.

Badejo-Okusanya said the solution was not to avoid recording altogether but to establish clearer boundaries around privacy and the lawful recording of police officers.

“We just need to understand the limits,” she said, adding that existing laws could be strengthened or interpreted to prevent abuse of the privilege to record.

She said lawyers and police officers should work together because both were “partners in the same quest to ensure that we have a safe and vibrant society that respects the rule of law.”

The Nigerian Army has announced a strategic reshuffle of its senior leadership, with the redeployment of several generals and brigadier generals to key command, operational and staff appointments across the Service.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, approved the postings as part of efforts to enhance operational effectiveness, strengthen leadership and align the Army’s command structure with the country’s evolving security environment.

In a post on the Nigerian Army’s X handle on Wednesday, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the exercise prioritised critical operational theatres and strategic appointments to ensure that the “right leadership, experience and expertise” were positioned to deliver decisive results.

Under the new arrangement, Major General IA Ajose has moved from the Army Headquarters Department of Army Operations to the Theatre Command, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, as Theatre Commander.

Major General AE Abubakar, who previously served under Operation HADIN KAI, has been redeployed to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre as Dean, Faculty of Operational Research.

Major General AM Alechenu has also moved from Defence Headquarters Garrison to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, while Major General RT Utsaha has been redeployed from the Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to Defence Headquarters Garrison as Commander.

Major General AM Umar has moved from the Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs to the Army War College Nigeria as Commandant, while Major General UM Alkali has been redeployed from the college to the Department of Civil-Military Affairs.

Major General GS Muhammed has been redeployed from the Office of the National Security Adviser to the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation as Director General.

Major General JE Osifo has moved from the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation to the Military Pension Board as Chairman, while Major General IE Ekpenyong has been redeployed to the Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Logistics as Director, Engineering Services.

At the operational level, Brigadier General AA Bello has moved from 6 Division Garrison/Sector 3 Joint Task Force South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE, to the Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Operations.

Brigadier General MS Adamu has been redeployed from the Nigerian Army Women Command to the newly established 8 Brigade as Commander, while Brigadier General MS Sule has moved from Special Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE to 27 Task Force Brigade as Commander.

Brigadier General I Sule has also been redeployed from the Directorate of Recruitment Management to 6 Division Garrison as Commander.

Brigadier General E Azenda has moved from the Land Forces Simulation Centre to 2 Division Garrison as Commander, while Brigadier General AS Bugaje has been redeployed from 2 Division Garrison to the Land Forces Simulation Centre as Director, Administration.

The COAS charged the newly appointed officers to justify the confidence reposed in them through “exemplary leadership, operational innovation, professionalism and unwavering commitment to duty.”

He urged the officers to remain focused on the Army’s constitutional mandate of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territorial integrity and supporting civil authorities in maintaining peace and security.

The Nigerian Army said the reshuffle was part of its commitment to maintaining a dynamic leadership and force-employment framework capable of improving operational outcomes and strengthening joint and inter-agency coordination.

The Service added that the new postings would improve its capacity to respond decisively to contemporary and emerging security threats in furtherance of Nigeria’s national security objectives.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called on the media to end what he described as partisan narratives in reporting political confrontations, following the reported blockade of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, in Benue State.

Keyamo, in a statement sent to our correspondent on Wednesday, condemned the incident, saying politicians should be allowed to move freely and campaign without intimidation or violence.

Obi was reportedly prevented by a group of youths from proceeding to Yelwata in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where he had planned to visit families affected by the deadly June 2025 attack in the community.

The incident has since generated controversy, with Obi and his party alleging that the protesters were sponsored, while the Benue State Government denied involvement and said it was unaware of the visit.

The police in Benue also confirmed that they were aware of Obi’s movement and had provided security for the visit, but said the reason the youths blocked the convoy remained unknown and that the matter was being investigated.

The NDC had described the incident as unacceptable, alleging that suspected hired thugs blocked Obi’s convoy and prevented him from accessing Yelwata. The party said Obi had gone to the community to commiserate with families affected by the killings.

Reacting to the development, Keyamo said the incident should be condemned irrespective of the political affiliation of those responsible.

“Yesterday’s report of the prevention of the Presidential candidate of the NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, by some angry protesters from proceeding to the venue of his visit in Benue State must be condemned by all men of goodwill,” he said.

He said it was immaterial whether the protest was caused by internal disagreements within the NDC, as suggested by the Benue State Government, or whether it was allegedly sponsored by the APC or another rival political party.

“Whether the protest was as a result of internal squabbles within the NDC (as posited by the Benue State Government) or sponsored by the APC or any other rival party, this should not be part of our democracy,” Keyamo said.

The minister also rejected the argument that Obi’s planned visit to Yelwata could have been politically motivated, saying such a consideration should not justify preventing him from accessing the community.

“Some have also accused Obi of attempting to whip up fresh emotions by attempting to visit Yelwata, where the unfortunate killings happened more than a year ago, just for political reasons, hence the blockade. That is still not acceptable; everyone should be allowed to move about freely and play their politics without such crude interference,” he said.

The Yelwata attack of June 2025 was one of the deadliest incidents in Benue in recent years, with reports putting the death toll at more than 100. The community has remained a symbol of the insecurity confronting several parts of the state. Obi has previously visited other communities affected by attacks in Benue and called for stronger action to protect residents.

Keyamo, however, said the incident had also exposed what he described as inconsistent treatment of political confrontations by sections of the media.

“There is no better time to draw the attention of Nigerians and the world to the spin that the partisan section of the media usually puts on such incidents,” he said.

According to him, confrontations involving APC politicians are sometimes presented as evidence of public rejection, while similar incidents involving opposition politicians are described as attacks by sponsored thugs.

“Many a time when an angry crowd confronts or molests an APC candidate at any level, the partisan Press shamelessly dubs or spins it as ‘rejection’ by ‘Nigerians’. When it concerns the opposition, then it is an ‘attack’ by ‘sponsored thugs’ or ‘hoodlums’,” he said.

Keyamo argued that the media should apply the same standards to all political parties and candidates, regardless of their affiliations.

“This is what is unacceptable. In fact, many opposition leaders openly boast that the APC candidates cannot go to some parts of this country and shout ‘APC!’ without being ‘stoned’, ‘beaten’ or molested, yet the partisan Press does not call out such leaders and even helps to accentuate such statements,” he said.

“What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. The Press must extricate itself from such partisanship and be fair to all,” the minister added.

Keyamo urged Nigerians to channel their political grievances through democratic processes rather than violence, stressing that elections provide citizens with the opportunity to reject candidates peacefully.

“Whoever is angry at any candidate of any political party should display the anger with the ballot paper on voting day by a simple thumbprint, not by violent acts during campaigns,” he said.