'I will kill everybody who records me' — outrage as Police officer issues threat in viral video

SUMMARY

• A viral video on X showing a police officer, identified as Newton Isokpehi, threatening to shoot anyone who video-records him on duty has sparked fresh outrage.

• The officer openly dismissed orders from police high command allowing citizens to film, boasting that superiors would only end up attending the victims' funerals.

• The explosive clip has revived heated conversations around police brutality, coming just months after a court firmly upheld citizens' rights to record security agents.

Nigerians on social media are calling for immediate action after a disturbing video surfaced on X (formerly Twitter), showing a Nigerian police officer violently threatening to shoot and kill any citizen who attempts to record him while on duty.

The officer, identified from his social media profiles as Newton Isokpehi, reportedly based in Benin, Edo State, could be seen delivering a chilling, profanity-laced tirade against the Nigerian public and police high command in pidgin English.

In the viral clip, Isokpehi openly defied official Nigeria Police Force (NPF) policies and recent legal precedents that permit citizens to record officers, bragging that any superior who gave such orders would only end up funding the funerals of those shot.

"Make that oga (boss), when he give you an order say make they video us, eh? He go go do your burial for you," the officer said in Pidgin English, dismissing the authority of top police brass.

Visibly agitated, Isokpehi went on to dare anyone to bring a camera near his duty post, swearing an oath to open fire on onlookers and bystanders alike if he catches anyone filming him.

"Carry your camera come around anywhere there... mistake video [me], if you don't do, I will kill everybody there, the whole food bus, anywhere, anywhere... I will kill everybody there. I swear to God," Isokpehi threatened.

He further questioned why Nigerians don't attempt to record other security agencies, such as the military or the Department of State Services (DSS), lamenting that the police always bear the brunt of public scrutiny despite working under harsh conditions.

Showing off scars on his body, Isokpehi claimed he has survived multiple gunshot wounds in his 26 years of service, complaining about a lack of accountability and welfare for lower-ranking officers. 

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"Look at my body. You think I was born like this? This is a gunshot... Still they suffer," he grumbled. "That police officer when he give you order to video policeman on duty, oh yeah, now chop, now see wahala."

While he praised the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, for recently trying to amend things and pay out backlogged insurance benefits to families of deceased officers, he maintained that his personal frustrations justified his lethal stance on being recorded.

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The incident has reignited debate over police accountability in Nigeria, especially in light of existing guidelines that permit citizens to record officers performing their duties in public spaces, provided it does not obstruct operations.

It also appears to directly contradict a March 2026 court ruling, which reaffirmed Nigerians’ constitutional right to document law enforcement activities in public—an issue that has remained sensitive since the #EndSARS protests.

Human rights observers and civic advocates say the officer’s comments undermine ongoing efforts to rebuild trust between citizens and law enforcement.

A user on X wrote that the remarks “erase years of progress in police-citizen relations", while others called the video “disturbing” and “a clear abuse of authority".

The footage has reopened deep wounds for many Nigerians, bringing back dark memories of the high-handedness and brutality that triggered historic anti-police misconduct protests in recent years.

X users have launched a massive campaign online, tagging the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, and various state police commands, demanding Isokpehi’s immediate identification, arrest, and dismissal from the force.

Many argue that an officer harbouring such a volatile mindset and an open willingness to mass-shoot civilians poses an active danger to the public and should not be trusted with a firearm.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force headquarters has not released an official statement regarding the viral video, but pressure continues to mount online for swift disciplinary action.

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