Two Abuja-based legal practitioners have accused police officers attached to the Garki Police Division of assaulting them and destroying their mobile phones after they allegedly attempted to record the maltreatment of a commercial tricycle rider during an enforcement operation near Apo Bridge in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The lawyers, Ikechukwu Obasi and Chibuike Okoro made the accusations, said the incident occurred on Tuesday, as they were returning from the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the Asokoro District of Abuja.
According to Obasi, they had earlier visited the DSS headquarters in connection with a petition they had previously submitted over the alleged harassment of one of them at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
He alleged that while driving through the Apo Bridge axis, they noticed police officers physically confronting a commercial tricycle rider.
Concerned by what they described as the excessive use of force, the lawyers said they stopped to document the incident as potential evidence.
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However, Obasi claimed that the police officers confronted them after noticing they were recording the scene.
“We were trying to record what we believed was an unlawful assault on a tricycle rider so there would be evidence of the incident.
“Rather than allow us to exercise what we believe is our lawful right, the officers allegedly turned on us, assaulted us and destroyed our phones,” he said.
The lawyer described the incident as traumatic, alleging that both he and his colleague were beaten, while their mobile devices were damaged.
He maintained that as officers of the court, they considered it their civic and professional responsibility to document what they believed was a violation of a citizen’s rights.
Obasi further argued that the officers’ actions, if established, would amount to a breach of the Nigeria Police Act, which requires police officers to respect the fundamental rights of citizens while carrying out their duties.
He also cited judicial decisions which, according to him, recognise the right of members of the public to record police officers performing official duties in public places, insisting that filming law enforcement officers is not, in itself, an offence.
Beyond the alleged assault, Obasi said the incident had left him concerned about what he described as the growing tension between law enforcement accountability and citizens’ constitutional rights.
He disclosed that he would first pursue administrative remedies by petitioning the inspector-general of police, urging the police hierarchy to launch an independent investigation into the conduct of the police officers involved.
According to him, the petition will seek disciplinary action against any officer found culpable, compensation for the damaged phones and assurances that similar incidents would not recur.
Obasi also criticised what he described as the attitude of the divisional police officer of the Garki Division, alleging that the officer attempted to justify the conduct of the policemen involved instead of ordering an immediate investigation.
He further argued that although the FCT Administration has restricted commercial tricycle operations in certain parts of Abuja, such a policy should not be interpreted as authorising the use of unlawful force against riders or members of the public.
