The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has backed citizens’ right to record police officers performing their duties in public as recently affirmed by a court judgement, but called for clearer rules to protect officers’ privacy.
Mrs Badejo-Okusanya made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and members of the NBA executive committee at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting focused on improving relations between lawyers and the police amid recurring disagreements between members of both professions.
Responding to concerns raised by the police over citizens’ use of phones to record officers, Mrs Badejo-Okusanya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said transparency should not be discouraged when officers are performing their lawful duties, according to a report by Sahara Reporters.
“We should not be afraid of being transparent in the lawful execution of our duties,” said Mrs Badejo-Okusanya, who took office last month following her historic victory as the first elected female NBA president.
