Nigerian Police Officer Apologizes After Viral Threat Video

A Nigerian police officer has issued a public apology after a video in which he threatened to kill civilians for filming him on duty sparked widespread condemnation and reignited debates over police conduct and accountability. The officer, who identifies himself as Newton Isokpehi and claims to have served for 26 years, posted the initial threat on his TikTok account earlier this week.

In the viral video, Isokpehi, speaking in Pidgin English, issued explicit warnings. He stated that any day he was on duty with his rifle, he would kill anyone who filmed him and that the superior who ordered such filming would bury the victims. He further threatened to "clear everybody down," including bystanders on a bus, if filming occurred. During the recording, he displayed scars on his body which he described as bullet wounds and lamented poor welfare conditions for officers, using a proverb to describe a disparity between rank-and-file officers and senior officials.

The video prompted immediate outrage online, with many Nigerians and human rights activists calling for disciplinary action. Harrison Gwamnishu, a Delta State-based activist, was among those who amplified the clip.