Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Two Abuja-based human rights lawyers, Barrister Ikechukwu Obasi and Chibuike Okoro, have accused officers of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Garki Police Division of assaulting them, destroying their mobile phones, and harassing them for attempting to record the brutal treatment of a tricycle rider near the Apo Bridge area of the Federal Capital Territory. The incident occurred on Thursday, July 9, 2026, as the lawyers were returning from the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS), where they had honoured an invitation from the agency's Directorate of Legal Services.
According to Obasi, they had earlier visited the DSS over a petition they filed against police officers who allegedly harassed Okoro at the Federal High Court in Abuja. While driving back, they witnessed police officers, whom they identified as personnel from the Garki Division, allegedly assaulting a tricycle rider around the Apo Bridge axis. Obasi said they decided to document the incident by recording the officers' actions while also questioning what they described as the unlawful treatment of the tricyclist.
"Some police officers identified as operating under Garki Division harassed us today (Thursday) while returning from the SSS headquarters where we honoured the appointment of the legal department in respect of the petition we wrote against officers that harassed this same colleague of mine at the Federal High Court, Abuja," Obasi told SaharaReporters. "In the process, they damaged our phones because we were trying to record a Gestapo-like torture and harassment of a tricyclist within that Apo Bridge axis."
Obasi alleged that the officers immediately turned on them after noticing they were recording the incident. "As law officers trained to protect the rule of law, human rights and sanctity of humanity, we tried to record the vicious assault on the tricyclist in a bid to have concrete evidence of the untoward incident, while also accosting them for violating a Nigerian citizen because their conduct was sheer gangsterism and consequently, they charged at us, destroying our gadgets," he said. He further alleged that both lawyers were physically assaulted and that their mobile phones were damaged beyond repair. "We were beaten, and our phones were damaged beyond recognition," he stated.
The human rights lawyer argued that the conduct of the officers violated provisions of the Police Act, which require police personnel to respect citizens' fundamental rights while carrying out their duties. He also maintained that Nigerian courts have affirmed the right of citizens to record police officers performing official duties in public places. "Recall that a court of competent jurisdiction authorises that police officers operating in public can be recorded. It is therefore within our right to record the activities of police officers in Nigeria," he said.
According to Obasi, the alleged attack was not only a violation of their constitutional rights but also an affront to their professional standing and a disregard for judicial authority. "The conduct of the said officers of the Nigerian Police is not just a violation of our rights, that of the tricyclist, but an assault on our professional integrity and reputation as well as contempt of court order," he added.
Obasi said he and his colleague would pursue legal action against the officers involved. "We, therefore, intend to explore all available legal remedies to seek redress. We are not resting on our oars. My colleague and I are the last lawyers the police or any security agency or government agency can harass and go scot-free," Obasi declared.
The incident adds to growing concerns over the conduct of police officers in Nigeria, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, where cases of harassment and assault against citizens have been on the rise. The Garki Police Division has previously been implicated in allegations of abuse of power, with human rights groups accusing officers of weaponising law enforcement against civilians. The Nigerian Bar Association and civil society organisations have repeatedly called for reforms to address police brutality and ensure accountability for officers who violate citizens' rights.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement on the incident. The lawyers have vowed to pursue justice through legal means, setting the stage for a potential legal battle that could test the commitment of law enforcement agencies to uphold the rule of law and respect citizens' constitutional rights.
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