
A Nigerian police officer identified as Newton Isokpehi, whose social media pages show him in uniform and based in Benin, Nigeria, has stirred public outrage after a video surfaced in which he threatens to shoot anyone who attempts to film him while he is on duty.
In the video, Isokpehi openly defies a directive from a superior officer that permits citizens to record police officers, dismissively stating that his superior would be responsible for arranging any resulting funerals an apparent threat against members of the public who exercise that right.
His remarks directly contradict official Nigeria Police Force policy and a court ruling handed down in March 2026 that reaffirmed the legal right of citizens to film law enforcement officers in the course of their duties.
The video has since gone viral, prompting widespread condemnation on social media, with many users tagging senior police officials and calling for Isokpehi's removal from the force.
The incident has reignited longstanding concerns about misconduct and impunity within the Nigerian police, drawing comparisons to past episodes that fueled public protests against police brutality in the country.
“Any day I’m on duty as a Nigerian police officer, let anyone record me. That person will provide the officer who gave them the order to be filming us, because I will clear everybody down"
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) May 21, 2026
– Man suspected to be a personnel says pic.twitter.com/OCS5I40UBR