[/quote] He had thought he was carrying out a civic
responsibility trying to fight what he
perceived as an abuse of office by some
policemen at a checkpoint. But Gregory
Ekene Muonyililo, a medical worker with a
pharmaceutical company in Amuwo Odofin,
Lagos, never knew he was walking into
trouble.
Muonyililo, acting against the backdrop of the
video recording of a female corporal as she
was allegedly demanding N100 bribe and a
male sergeant who was also exposed for
asking for N25,000 bribe, had on Monday
attempted to record on tape a similar act in
his locality.
As he came out of his office on his way to
lunch, he had sighted some policemen on duty
who were allegedly harassing a commercial
motorcyclist. He thought they were trying to
extort money from the motorcyclist and in a
moment, he brought out his mobile phone to
use it to videos the incident.
But THISDAY gathered that the policemen,
who were attached to the Area E Command,
were trying to arrest the yet-to-be identified
commercial motorcyclist for violating the
Lagos State traffic law that restricted the
operations of commercial motorcyclists on
475 out of the 9,100 roads in the state.
Speaking to THISDAY, Muonyililo 's brother,
Onyeka, said he was arrested after he
attempted to video some policemen who were
allegedly harassing a commercial motorcyclist.
He said: "Apparently, the policemen set up a
checkpoint in front of his office yesterday (on
Monday) and were harassing motorcyclists. He
went outside to get something and when he
saw it, he started videoing it.
"Although he should have been more discreet,
he wasn’t and they saw him and became
agitated. They collected his phone from him
and after a few words were exchanged, left.
"They went back to their duty post with his
phone and my brother went back to work.
When they later came back looking for him
around 4pm, he thought it was to give him
back his phone but to his surprise, they told
him to follow them to their station.
"From Amuwo Odofin, they took him all the
way to the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS),
Ikeja, and he was detained and slept there."
He however said efforts were being made to
ensure his release from detention, adding that
the police had said they would charge him to
court.
When contacted, the state Police Public
Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy
Superintendent of Police (DSP), debunked
claims that the policemen were demanding
bribe from the commercial motorcyclist.
She also debunked claims that the victim was
taken to SARS, saying that he was taken to the
X-Squad department of the state command
for interrogation.
She said: "I don't like it when people try to
frame the police. I spoke to the man who was
arrested and he never told me that the
policemen were asking for bribe from the
commercial motorcyclist they were trying to
arrest.
"What he told me was that he did not like the
way the policemen were trying to arrest the
motorcyclist and we now asked him what
better way should have been employed and he
kept quiet.
"Since this issue of video started, people
would video and then transcribe and then
send it out to the public through the Internet
to different social media as part of efforts to
paint the police black."
When asked if the suspect would be charged
to court, she said investigations were still
ongoing and the outcome of the investigations
would determine what next step the police
would take.
When the issue was raised with the state
Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, at an
event yesterday, he said he would look into
the matter once he was back to the office.
He said: "There are questions you should ask
first. Was the motorcycle rider right in
disobeying state government laws? Were the
policemen wrong in doing their job?"
When asked if it was a crime for a citizen to
take pictures of policemen on duty, Manko
neither debunked or affirmed it. Rather, he
asked why the suspect should take pictures of
policemen who were carrying out their legal
duties. [/quote]

www.thisdaylive.com/articles/man-arrested-for-attempting-to-video-policemen-on-duty/157478/

Police men are now scared of pictures...lol.. Pls mind d way u raise ur camera phone in public b4 police arrest n detain u for picture policing d police.

mek him go video jail small com show us, av never been there b4.

Trendy247: mek him go video jail small com show us, av never been there b4.

Any LAWYER in da houz ?

Trendy247: mek him go video jail small com show us, av never been there b4.

You don't need someones video, you can ask God to take you there so you can see for your self.
Mehn, I pity that guy, cos na him them go use as scapegoat.

Seems recording the the activities of the police is what is now trending in nigeria.
But what will be the offence of this man if charged to the court?

Tolexander: Seems recording the the activities of the police is what is now trending in nigeria.
But what will be the offence of this man if charged to the court?

LAWYERS please enlighten us.

When asked if it was a crime for a citizen to take pictures of policemen on duty, Manko neither debunked or affirmed it. Rather, he asked why the suspect should take pictures of policemen who were carrying out their legal duties.

You can see how pathetic this country is. So policemen can arrest you for doing something they don't like, whether it is against the law or not? What offence would he be charged with in court?

Just passing and way pity d poor boy

The sharp policemen will be cautious of their environment while demanding bribes nw... Nigerians are really implicating them.
Why must they arrest the guy sef?
On what ground? Policemen don't even kn the law in this country.

Lmao.. I do believe the policemen were upto something illegal.. A pity the dude got caught.. Dem go teach am lesson for inside cell!

police is your friend, dont blackmail them

One day, one day, i will video a policemen collecting bribe or doing something contrary. just watch out........

Unfortunate guy. Police is ur friend feel free bail no dey cost

Poor thing. You cover them codedly na

Kpam isi akpara John,gi echefuo na gi na John enweghi ofu isi.

Nairalanders, please please ,be careful. These guys can kill o , for recording

fundermental human right issues i think.