COURT ORDERS DEPLOYMENT OF POLICE LEGAL OFFICERS TO STATIONS NATIONWIDE
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division, has ruled that police officers who are not members of the Specialist Legal Cadre are prohibited from representing the Nigeria Police Force in civil proceedings.
The court also directed the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to ensure the deployment of at least one police legal officer to every police station nationwide to promote compliance with human rights standards in law enforcement.
The Nigerian Bar Association disclosed the development in a statement shared on its official X handle on Saturday.
According to the NBA, the judgment was delivered by Justice O. Y. Anuwe in suit number NICN/ABJ/264/2025, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association against the Police Service Commission and five others.
The NBA explained that the suit challenged the practice of police officers recruited as General Duty Officers, who later obtained law degrees and were called to the Nigerian Bar, performing legal duties and representing the Nigeria Police Force in court without being converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre.
It said the action sought judicial interpretation of Rule 8(1) and (2) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2023, Section 18(9) and (11) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and Force Order 137(3) of the Ratified Police Force Order 2013.
The association stated, “The NBA argued that several police officers recruited as General Duty Officers subsequently obtained Law Degrees and were called to the Nigerian Bar but were never converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre as required by law. Despite this, the officers continued to undertake legal duties, including representing the Nigeria Police in court.”
According to the NBA, the court first dismissed the preliminary objection filed by the Police Service Commission, which challenged the competence of the suit and the locus standi of the association to institute the action.
The NBA further quoted the court as ordering the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to implement Section 66(3) of the Police Act.
“Justice Anuwe further ordered the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to give effect to Section 66(3) of the Police Act by deploying police lawyers to police stations nationwide to strengthen legal oversight and ensure greater protection of human rights in police operations,” the statement read.
Reacting to the judgment, the association said, “Beyond regulating legal representation by the Nigeria Police, the decision is expected to accelerate the professionalisation of police legal practice, improve legal advice at divisional police formations, and deepen institutional compliance with constitutional safeguards governing arrests, detention, investigations, and other policing activities.”
It added, “The judgment also represents another significant milestone in the Nigerian Bar Association’s use of strategic public interest litigation to advance institutional reforms and strengthen the rule of law. Through the suit, the NBA sought not only to clarify the legal status of police lawyers but also to secure structural reforms aimed at embedding legal oversight and human rights compliance within police operations across the Federation.”
The association said the Certified True Copy of the judgment would soon be made public. It also acknowledged the efforts of its legal team led by Olukunle O. Edun (SAN), alongside Austin J. Utah, Dr Lilian Ojimma, Bulus Y. Atsen, Olajide Abiodun, Mohammed Danjuma and Vincent Adodo, for prosecuting the suit.
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