Include body camera in Police Acts – Lawyer

Dr Kayode Ajulo, a constitutional lawyer has urged the House of Representatives to include the use of body cameras in the proposed Police Act.

He however promised to donate some to the Nigerian Police in partnership with some NGOs if included in the Police Act and assented to by President Muhammad Buhari.

Ajulo said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

According to him, it is advised that the provisions of Nigeria Police (Establishment) Act, 2020, the Administration of Criminal Justice Law and the Administration Act, 2015 particularly Section 15 of the Act be amended

He said that the law should be amended to mandate compulsory use of body cameras by security agencies in all their engagements with the civil populace.

He urged the House of Representatives to incorporate body cameras in the Police Act, adding that when such was backed by the law, it would make investigation easy.

Ajulo faulted the body camera introduced by Lagos State Government for use by law enforcement officers, adding that it was not in conformity with standard.

He said that Lagos State’s use of body cameras was not under compulsion and not binding by the law but the Police had no choice than to wear it.

He said that the Act should include stringent punishment that should be invoked on any defaulting officer in the country.

The legal practitioner said that in policing equipment, body cameras and wearable cameras were essential in modern day policing to record interaction with the public.

Ajulo said that it was imperative to ensure police transparency and accountability, which would check abuse of police and restore public confidence in their operations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rep Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau) sponsored the Police Service Commission (PSC) Amendment Bill and the National Institute of Police Study (NIPS) amendments bill.