The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has come under renewed public scrutiny following the resurfacing of a video showing officers stopping travellers and searching their mobile phones along the Oyo–Ogbomoso–Ibadan Expressway.
In the footage, officers are heard instructing individuals to unlock their phones and grant access to personal data, including commands such as “Open your email” and “Give me your gallery.” In one exchange, an NDLEA officer reportedly responded to a man who questioned the search by saying, “Did you think I’m a Nigerian police officer?”
The video, which has gone viral on social media, is believed to date back to July 2025. It previously triggered public criticism when it first emerged online.
Following the initial backlash, the NDLEA reportedly summoned the officers involved for disciplinary review. However, there has been no publicly confirmed update on the outcome of those proceedings nearly a year later, prompting renewed public concern.
Accounts linked to the incident suggest that one of the officers justified the phone checks by stating that the travellers were observed doing “something” suspicious on their devices, though the exact basis for the searches remains unclear.
The resurfaced clip has reignited discussions around digital privacy rights and the limits of law enforcement authority during stop-and-search operations. Critics argue that searching personal devices without clear legal justification raises serious constitutional and human rights concerns.
Observers also note that similar allegations of phone searches have previously been directed at other security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), fueling broader debate about enforcement practices in Nigeria.
As of the time of filing this report, the NDLEA has not issued a fresh statement regarding the resurfaced video or the status of disciplinary actions reportedly taken against the officers.
The incident continues to generate public discourse on the balance between security enforcement and citizens’ right to privacy in Nigeria.
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