The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division, has barred police officers who are not employed in the Specialist Legal Cadre from appearing in civil proceedings on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force.
The court also ordered the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to deploy at least one police lawyer to every police station across the country to strengthen compliance with human rights standards in policing.
The Nigerian Bar Association disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Saturday.
According to the association, the judgment was delivered by Justice O. Y. Anuwe in the suit marked NICN/ABJ/264/2025, Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. Police Service Commission & 5 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.”
The statement added, “In adopting a liberal approach to standing in public interest litigation, the Court held that the NBA possessed the requisite legal standing, observing that the suit was instituted to protect the interests of legal practitioners and promote compliance with statutory and professional obligations.”
On the substantive issues, the association said the court ruled that police officers who had not been appointed or converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre could no longer represent the Nigeria Police Force in civil proceedings.
It stated, “The Court consequently restrained such officers from appearing in civil cases on behalf of the Nigeria Police until they are duly appointed or converted to the appropriate legal cadre.”
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.
