VIDEO: “I’ll Kill Anyone Who Films Me on duty”: Police Officer Issues Death Threat

VIDEO: “I’ll Kill Anyone Who Films Me on duty”: Police Officer Issues Death Threat

A serving Nigerian police officer has ignited a firestorm of outrage after a viral video captured him threatening to kill any member of the public who dares to film him while on duty. The officer, identified as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Newton Isokpehi, later issued an apology, claiming his remarks were born of frustration rather than genuine intent to harm. The incident has thrown a harsh spotlight on the long-standing tension between police accountability and citizens’ rights to document law enforcement activities—rights that have been explicitly affirmed by a Federal High Court ruling as recent as March 2026.

The now-deleted video was posted on Isokpehi’s TikTok account, “Newton isokpehi for life” with the username #actor459. In the clip, which featured an ironic “God bless police” text overlay, the officer issued graphic death threats in Pidgin English. “Any day I’m on duty as a police officer, carrying my rifle and doing my job, let somebody come and video me,” Isokpehi declared. “That oga who gave you people the order to video us, he will go and do your burial. He will bury you. The number of you that I kill, he will be the one to bury all of you.” He further dared civilians to approach him with cameras, escalating his threats with terrifying specificity: “If anyone is bold enough, just bring your camera. Watch me properly, bring your camera and come anywhere I am. Come and video me. If you don’t do it right, I will clear everybody down, the whole bus, everybody around. I swear to God, if I don’t do it, let me die.”

In an extraordinary turn, Isokpehi did not limit his threats to civilians. He also directed chilling warnings at any superior police officer who may have authorized citizens to record police operations. “That oga, that police officer who gave the order for people to video policemen on duty, oya, I will deal with you all harshly. You will see serious wahala. You will see problem. Problem will destroy your generation,” he said. The remarks suggest a deep-seated frustration within certain ranks of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) regarding internal policies on public documentation of police activities.

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Throughout the video, Isokpehi displayed visible scars on his arm and chest, which he identified as bullet wounds sustained during active service. He used these injuries to underscore his grievances about poor welfare conditions for officers. “You think I was born like this? This is a gunshot wound,” he said, pointing to his arm. “My whole body is covered with bullet wounds and gunshot scars. Yet I’m still suffering.” He provided a harrowing account of a past operation: “Out of 17 of us, only two survived that operation. See my chest, bullet has eaten into it.” The officer famously lamented using the Nigerian proverb, “Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,” expressing frustration that officers risk their lives while others reap the rewards of their sacrifice. Despite his outburst, Isokpehi acknowledged the efforts of the current Inspector General of Police to clear outstanding insurance and death benefit payments owed to families of deceased officers. “Since this IG assumed office, he has started releasing their insurance and benefits,” he conceded.

Isokpehi’s threats appear to directly contradict established Nigerian law and recent judicial pronouncements. In March 2026, a Federal High Court explicitly affirmed the constitutional right of Nigerians to record police officers carrying out their duties in public spaces, as long as such recording does not physically interfere with operations. Human rights lawyer and activist Harrison Gwamnishu, who amplified the original video, condemned the officer’s remarks as a clear and present danger to public safety. “It’s important Nigerians see this video,” Gwamnishu stated. “This is a clear threat because we don’t know where this police officer is operating, and someone could be harmed while recording during a stop-and-search operation.” Gwamnishu has since renewed calls for mandatory psychological evaluation and drug testing for officers accused of public misconduct.

Following the tsunami of public backlash, Isokpehi posted a follow-up apology video on his TikTok page on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Speaking in Pidgin English, he pleaded for forgiveness from Nigerians and specifically addressed Gwamnishu. “Please forgive me. If I offended you as a brother, forgive me. That statement was just out of annoyance because of the things that are happening. These things are painful,” he said. Isokpehi clarified his position on filming police officers, attempting to draw a distinction between lawful documentation and what he called abuse of the practice. “Actually, you can video us. 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. They have taken it too far,” he argued. He dismissed his earlier death threats as mere rhetoric, saying: “How can I be saying I will kill my own people? We don’t do that. I spoke out of annoyance. That one was just verbal talk.”

According to his account, Isokpehi is from Edo State and grew up in the barracks in Kaduna. He claimed to have served 12 years in the Mobile Police unit and 26 years in total with the Nigeria Police Force. “Anywhere people ask about me, people will testify to my character. I have worked for my fatherland with all my heart,” he said. In his closing remarks, he appealed directly to those who condemned him: “Harrison, forgive me. I beg the whole of Nigeria, please forgive me. This one has reached too far. If you want to know me, come and meet me one-on-one. You will know me personally. I will not run. I will not surrender.” He ended with a message of hope: “We have decided that we will die for our fatherland. One day, things will surely get better by the grace of God. One love to the world.”

As of this publication, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued any official statement regarding the incident. It remains unclear whether Isokpehi has been identified by his superiors, summoned for questioning, or subjected to any disciplinary proceedings. Under the Police Act and Regulations, making threats to kill—whether to civilians or fellow officers—constitutes a serious offence punishable by dismissal and potential criminal prosecution. Rights groups have urged the police leadership to use this incident as an opportunity for nationwide retraining on modern, rights-compliant policing standards and to reaffirm that no officer is above the law.

VIDEO: “I’ll Kill Anyone Who Films Me on duty”: Police Officer Issues Death Threat