The Use of Body Camera By Law Enforcement Agencies in Nigeria: Impact on the Nigeria Criminal Justice System
Police brutality has been a long-standing issue in Nigeria, creating a deep-seated mistrust towards law enforcement agencies and compromising public safety and security. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in equipping police officers with body cameras to boost transparency and accountability. The introduction of body cameras in Nigeria promises to significantly impact the criminal justice system by curbing police misconduct, enhancing evidence gathering and documentation, and rebuilding public faith in law enforcement.
Taking into account the provision of section 4 of the Police Act, which empowers the police to directly relate with civilians in the course of carrying out their statutory duty, it becomes inappropriate to overrule the use of arbitrary and unwarranted force to achieve their goals. To kick things off, the utilization of body cameras by Nigerian law enforcement entities could play a pivotal role in minimizing cases of police brutality. Police officers, wielding immense authority, sometimes veer off course by resorting to excessive force or misconduct. With body cameras in play, these officers are likely to toe the line, aware that their actions are being documented.
Moreover, the footage captured by body cameras can stand as solid proof in instances of alleged misconduct, holding officers accountable and discouraging future abuses. In addition to the fact that the footage stands as some sort of external consciousness to curtail the arbitral act of the law enforcement agent, it also stands as corroborative evidence for the state and the victim where such occurred. In a celebrated case of ALADE V STATE (2022) LPELR-58614(CA) the court of Appeal held that” for a piece of evidence to be corroborative of another, it must relate and support that other evidence. See the case of State V Yahaha (Supra) where Peter Odili JSC opined that “the test to be applied to determine the nature and extent of corroboration is to establish that the evidence is an independent testimony which affects the accused by connecting or tending to connect him with the crime”
Moreover, body cameras can elevate the firsthand evidence collection and documentation in criminal investigations. The footage harnessed by these cameras can serve as crucial evidence in legal proceedings, offering a detailed narrative of police-civilian interactions. This can help validate witness accounts, untangle disputed events, and present a more objective incident record than conventional written reports. By enhancing the caliber and reliability of evidence, body cameras can fortify the criminal justice system and fuel fairer and more productive outcomes in legal processes.
Apart from bolstering accountability and evidence-gathering, equipping law enforcement bodies with body cameras can also play a pivotal role in rebuilding public trust in the police. Trust and confidence in the police form the bedrock of effective policing, with collaboration between law enforcement and the community being imperative for upholding public safety and security. Police misconduct can chip away at public trust, stymieing cooperation with law enforcement and impeding crime-fighting endeavors. By embracing body cameras, the Nigerian police force can underscore their commitment to transparency and accountability, assuring the public of surveillance over their actions and fostering greater trust and confidence in law enforcement agencies.
Despite the potential advantages of body cameras, their adoption in Nigeria may need help to overcome a few roadblocks. One significant hurdle is the financial burden of obtaining and maintaining the necessary equipment. A typical corruption-minded state will see another avenue for money laundry, thereby making minimal funds available, directly detrimental to providing and keeping the body camera and bits of stored information. In another development, the training officers on properly utilizing body cameras will also pose a Jericho to actualize the body cameras. In a resource-constrained setting like Nigeria, where numerous competing demands exist, investing in body cameras may necessitate a substantial financial outlay from the government.
Another major challenge to the program’s success is data security and privacy. By the express provision of section 37 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the privacy of Nigerians is guaranteed. As such, any action taken to oppose such guaranteed right automatically becomes unconstitutional (save as those provided by law). It is a guarantee by the given that the footage from body cameras contains sensitive information and must be handled cautiously to avert misuse or unauthorized access.
In wrapping up, the use of body cameras by law enforcement bodies in Nigeria can usher in a profound transformation and positively impact the criminal justice system, stemming up real and concrete (raw) first-hand evidence that can stand as independent or corroborative evidence. These would be targeted at curbing instances of police brutality, enhancing evidence collection and documentation, and renewing public trust in law enforcement. Body cameras can pave the way for a more equitable, transparent, and accountable policing landscape. While hurdles may crop up during the implementation of body cameras, the potential benefits far outweigh the costs, underscoring the necessity for Nigerian authorities to seriously mull over the adoption of this technology to refine policing practices and uphold the rule of law.