Police officer who threatened public over filming apologises

Newton Isokpehi, the police officer who sparked outrage after threatening to kill anyone who filmed him on duty, has apologised, saying his earlier remarks were made out of frustration.

In a follow-up video shared on his TikTok page on Thursday, Isokpehi pleaded with Nigerians to forgive him, insisting that his comments did not reflect his true intentions.

“Please forgive me. If I offended you as a brother, forgive me. That statement was just out of annoyance,” he said.

The officer also addressed rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu, who had amplified the initial video, appealing for understanding over the incident.

Isokpehi clarified that he does not oppose members of the public recording police officers, but expressed concern over what he described as excessive or indiscriminate filming during duty.

“You are allowed to video a policeman, but it’s not right for just anybody to come from anywhere and start videoing officers on duty,” he said.

He described himself as a dedicated officer, noting that he had spent over two decades in service, including 12 years in the Mobile Police, and had sustained injuries in the line of duty.

Displaying gunshot wounds in the video, he said his outburst was driven by the hardship and risks associated with policing.

“How can I be saying I will kill my own people? I spoke out of annoyance. That one was just verbal talk,” he added.

The officer further appealed to the public for forgiveness, saying the situation had escalated beyond his expectations.

His initial video, in which he issued threats against anyone filming him, went viral on social media on Wednesday, drawing widespread condemnation.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement on the incident.