A 25-year-old law graduate from the University of Wales, Onyekwere Michael Onyemaechi has been arraigned before the Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for using his blackberry phone to take pictures of some police officers at their duty post.

When he was arraigned before Magistrate Botoku, who held brief for Magistrate A.O Komolafe, Michael, who just came into Nigeria nine days ago after seven years of studying abroad to commence Law School in Abuja, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge brought against him by the police prosecutor.

The two-count charge brought against him bordered on assault and breach of peace by indiscriminately taking pictures at a public place.

The charge sheet read: “That you Onyekwere Michael Onyemaechi “m” on the 4/11/2010 at about 1800hrs at Acme Road junction, Ogba, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace at Acme Road junction, being a public place, by using your blackberry mobile phone to take photographs of people indiscriminately, including that of two police officers namely Inspector Jerry Abuo and Cpl. Etim Itoro, for a ill motive and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 249(D) of the Criminal Code, Cap.17, Vol. 11 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.”

http://tribune.com.ng/sun/index.php/news/2553-police-arraign-25-year-old-for-taking-picture-with-blackberry-phone

Lol. . .talk about guilt trip. If they had a clear police conscience am sure they would pose for the camera

Why will you go and take people's pictures without their permission? Some people are daft and silly.

If I walk on the street and one silly goons points his or her phone at me to take my picture without asking me first, I will surely smash his or her head. Isint that common sense?



http://photo.net/street-documentary-photography-forum/00WgfK

When did taking pictures become illegal?

Read this for an answer:

http://photo.net/street-documentary-photography-forum/00WgfK

ishit4body:

Why will you go and take people's pictures without their permission? Some people are daft and silly.

If I walk on the street and one silly goons points his or her phone at me to take my picture without asking me first, I will surely smash his or her head. Isint that common sense?



http://photo.net/street-documentary-photography-forum/00WgfK

So in all the pictures you have taken in public places, no single person appeared in the background?

It should not be illegal it take pictures of police. In fact, I'd even want to install a video camera in my car, not to talk of picture. They are not trustworthy and often abuse their power. Video and pictures are a way to keep them in check.

Shut up Obiagu

Dont be a foolish goon. We are talking of direct shooting. If i am directly taking pictures of someone, courtesy demands you ask them first. Isint that just simple plain common sense?

Even in Britain, it is illegal to take pictures of police:

http://www.infowars.com/taking-photos-of-police-officers-could-be-considered-a-crime/


Dont talk like the idiots. Research and know the truth before coming here to talk rubbish.,

^^^

rant of a psycho.

In Britain, the law is clear- dont be a fool.


http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/1644048/jail-photographing-police

ishit4body:

Why will you go and take people's pictures without their permission? Some people are daft and silly.

If I walk on the street and one silly goons points his or her phone at me to take my picture without asking me first, I will surely smash his or her head. Isint that common sense?



http://photo.net/street-documentary-photography-forum/00WgfK

Lol. . .must you punctuate your opinions with cusses and insults ?   not for once have I seen your post with no insult.

Btw. . .he could have been snapping at the sign post right behind the policemen. . .how does dat disturb the peace of the city or the police pple  

Even in America- take pictures when not necessary and find out what happens to you.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/MoneyTrail/story?id=5668622

Obiagu1:

^^^

rant of a psycho.

She's got a hot body though. I'd do that anyday, anytime, anywhere. Just saying!

Some people are just simply un educated, daft and out right silly.

I guess the poster is out to discredit the Nigerian Police as usual, whereas it happens every other place.

Grow up, travel, learn, research. It is not only when you are out of Nigeria that you become exposed and learned, you can be in America, Britain or Europe and still be as daft as possible.

I guess the guy came back to the country and want to act like a just come Americana or whatever, he got what he deserves. When you dont know the law, it is never an excuse.

fstranger:

She's got a hot body though. I'd do that anyday, anytime, anywhere. Just saying!

She has a warning sign on her, "Date Me At Your Own Risk!".

Even though i despise the nigeria police, honestly,this guy don pass him boundary.You have no right to take anyone's photograph without their permission.he should have known that his action is at his outmost discretion.

~Bluetooth:

Even though i despise the nigeria police, honestly,this guy don pass him boundary.You have no right to take anyone's photograph without their permission.he should have known that his action is at his outmost discretion.

Huh?
So should we now start arresting paparazzi?
Should we now ask ppl to clear out when we take pictures in while touring [i.e hawaii]?

Abegi, they're just mad because they got caught disgracing themselves. The boy did nothing wrong. . . .nawa oh!
This country don spoillllllllll.

DapoBear:

When did taking pictures become illegal?

Gbam!!! O logbon jare. Omo Ekiti ni e!

They love being theatrical in the Nigeria police force sha. . . If they were caught busting criminals would they have minded the pictures ? no,cos dat would be

glorifying. the case is just pointless cos the boy could have been taking random pictures with the police men in the way of some of them. how does dat breach

the peace of any community 

of course they don't want to be caught on camera and are sensitive,

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-549807.0.html

www.nairaland.com/attachments/349339_olokpa_jpg06cdc0238703e8c64ed31162fae32ffb

is this not the sort of thing our police etal are always up to

by all means, catch them, just be discreet about it.

our police are mostly low life thugs, and every expose of the rot is welcome

As a graduate of law myself, the guy should know, that ignorance of the law is no excus! or , was he not taught that at the UNI. Well, wherever you visit , especially Africa, always enquire about what the laws of the land are, so as to know your rights as well as illegalities.

If he has just got back into the country, then he should know that such is quite illegal, i am not in support of the ill acts of the Nigerian police, but at thesame time , he is neither a Papz nor a journalist, so the police officers' consents should be sought before their pictures  are being shot, except for  evidence purposes, which to my mind i do not think was the case. If we could regard the laws of foreign countries ,  y not ours? Nigeria is a developing country, so we should always expect changes especially in evolution laws, rules and regulations. European & westerners did not just become law abiding citizens in a day!Let's Face it!!!

Law graduate my foot-.

After the case, the NBA should make sure he faces severe action for being so daft.

for a ill motive and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 249(D) of the Criminal Code, Cap.17, Vol. 11 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.”

Sure would like to see the exact wording of this particular law. . .

But personally I'm not too sure I'll be mighty pleased if someone were to point his phone @ me  and without my permission starts to take my picture.

Isn't what they call invasion of privacy?

@ ishit4body, thanks for you insight. But your language is harsh and incompatible with your education and looks.

Hmm hmm typical. . .oh well

DapoBear:

When did taking pictures become illegal?

Well no one says it is illegal to take pictures in general. However, it is rude to take pictures of people , and especially public figures, including police officers, without their consent, irrespective of the situation. And I am glad that there is a law against such barbaric acts. He should be made a scape goat. Life in prison with hard labour! Just saying.

Ileke-IdI:

Huh?
So should we now start arresting paparazzi?
Should we now ask ppl to clear out when we take pictures in while touring [i.e hawaii]?

Abegi, they're just mad because they got caught disgracing themselves. The boy did nothing wrong. . . .nawa oh!
This country don spoillllllllll.

do paparazzi take pictures of policemen ?
let's be real here.if a guy you don't know just walk up to you and snap you,what will be your reaction ?

kITA TITA:

@ ishit4body, thanks for you insight. But your language is harsh and incompatible with your education and looks.

She is bang-able, isnt she? With a body like that, I doubt she worked hard for any education she may claim to have got. just saying!

@ OYB,

This is totally a different scenario , and i truly support this , for the purpose of evidence, and of cos , one needs to be extremely discreet about it. Cos , if not one could get done for it! even killed by so called "stray bullets''

Can u imagine , what the situation could have being, at the scene of this disgraceful act? people could have being pronounced dead, due to stray bullets.How could they engage in such stupid struggle with guns? I am sure those guns were loaded.I also have  pictures and videos,  shot with zoom and auto focus camera, i was quite far away and one would have thought i was only reviewing pictures, already taken, it was discreetly taken of Nigerian policemen ( Lag town) in  July 2009, of policemen  outrightly requesting and accepting 20naira!

Well, it's time  we realised that , what they want are positive publicity stunts and not of such , but at thesame time , they need to be exposed, !!!! Period.

timascious:

@ OYB,

This is totally a different scenario , and i truly support this , for the purpose of evidence, and of cos , one needs to be extremely discreet about it. Cos , if not one could get done for it! even killed by so called "stray bullets''

Can u imagine , what the situation could have being, at the scene of this disgraceful act? people could have being pronounced dead, due to stray bullets.How could they engage in such silly struggle with guns? I am sure those guns were loaded.I also have  pictures and videos,  shot with zoom and auto focus camera, i was quite far away and one would have thought i was only reviewing pictures, already taken, it was discreetly taken of Nigerian policemen ( Lag town) in  July 2009, of policemen  outrightly requesting and accepting 20naira!

Well, it's time  we realised that , what they want are positive publicity stunts and not of such , but at thesame time , they need to be exposed, !!!! Period.

you are missing the point - who says the police were not engaged in one of their nefarious activities when their picture was being taken?

collecting roger, beating up an okada rider, creating a hazardous go slow for n20?

e can blather all we want about the law etc, but with the police being what they are, someone has to do what needs to be done - we all heared their disgraceful denails in the wake of the accident earlier this year, where a truck with bad brrakes killed several people at a checkpoint. if someone had caught them on camera, maybe it wouldn't have gone away.

ditto for the girl who was beaten up by those naval ratings

in nigeria, the only way to get most of these stories out is by undercover photographers

that is also the only way we can effect some sort of change - with undeniable evidence

if al jazeera had not captured the excesses of our police in the boko haram mayhem, they would be denyin that too

there was this day, i was stopped by lastma

i rarely drag with these people, and for some reason, they were afraid - they thought there might be a hidden camera in the car.

at one point i lifted my phone, and the guy immediately went - let me see it!
he thought i was secretly filming him

the knowledge that anywhere, anytime, someone may be catching you on camera is a powerful deterrent to the mostly thugs who make up our security apparatus

~Bluetooth:

do paparazzi take pictures of policemen ?
let's be real here.if a guy you don't know just walk up to you and snap you,what will be your reaction ?

~Bluetooth:

Even though i despise the nigeria police, honestly,this guy don pass him boundary.You have no right to take anyone's photograph without their permission.he should have known that his action is at his outmost discretion.

Do paparazzi ask for permission before taking pixs? Is the boy any different from paparazzis?
Do jourrnalists ask for permission before posting pixs in their article?
Dor every pix posted on NL, do we ask permission to post them?

I'd be creeped out if her took my pix, but I wouldnt call the cops on him.
Point is, the cops are public figures, anything they do while in duty is public. . . .therefore this arraignment makes no sense.