When I keep saying that the best way to improve our institutions is to have judges who are ready to protect the interest of the common people, I do not mince words.
Have you all noticed that since Justice Hyeladzira A. Nganjiwa of the Warri High Court delivered a judgment empowering citizens to take videos of police officers on duty while they perform their search duties, the conduct of most police officers has improved?
Most of you don't actually know what led to this case.
Sometime around May 10, 2025, a legal practitioner named Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo was travelling from Benin to Warri when he was stopped by police officers near the Sapele Roundabout who wanted to conduct a search on him.
The officers aggressively questioned him.
While they were at it arguing, he noticed something very surprising.
Their vehicle, a black Toyota Sienna, had no police inscriptions, no official markings, and entirely lacked license plate numbers.
He also noticed that none of the men wore name tags, uniform badges, or displayed force numbers. Neither did they agree to properly identify themselves.
At that point, he was afraid of possible harassment, so he attempted to record their activities with his mobile phone.
However, when the officers aggressively threatened him, he was forced to comply with their demands.
Barrister Maxwell later approached the Federal High Court, asking the court to determine whether it was proper for police officers to be on duty without visible name tags identifying them as officers of the law.
He also asked the court to determine whether it was legal for citizens to record police officers while carrying out searches without being harassed for doing so.
Fortunately, Justice Hyeladzira A. Nganjiwa gave a landmark judgment.
The judge held that all police officers are legally mandated to wear visible name tags and display their force numbers while on duty.
But the judge did not stop there.
He also held that the Police are barred from harassing, intimidating, arresting, or confiscating phones and recording devices from citizens documenting public operations.
Among other reliefs granted, Maxwell was awarded five million naira as damages.
The beautiful thing about this judgment is that the Nigeria Police Force did not appeal it. Rather, they accepted it as part of ongoing police reforms.
As a Nigerian citizen, whenever you see Bar. Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo or Justice Hyeladzira A. Nganjiwa, tell them thank you because you, as a Nigerian, are the major beneficiary of that judgment.
I am Ekene Aninze Esq.
@DeChristianguy The return of the prodigal son was celebrated with feast which the best calf has to be killed, blood was a requirement for for the forgiveness of sin
To @SecRubio:
PLEASE REPOST.
@PeterObi is the best candidate for president of Nigeria, but he is destined to lose to the orrupt Tinubu unless the voting system is reformed from violence and corruption to free and fair elections. Will you enact diplomacy to help? cc: @WhiteHouse