Court orders police to deploy legal officers to divisions nationwide

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has ordered the Police Service Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to deploy legally qualified police officers to every police division across the country to promote human rights compliance.

The order was contained in a judgment delivered on July 10, 2026, by the Abuja Judicial Division of the court in a suit filed by the Nigerian Bar Association against the PSC, the Nigeria Police Force and four other defendants.

The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/264/2025, was instituted by the NBA through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law to seek judicial interpretation and enforcement of provisions of the Police Act, 2020 and the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2023.

NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN), in a statement on the judgment on Sunday, said the court upheld substantial parts of the association’s claims and made declarations aimed at strengthening legal oversight within the police.

According to Osigwe, the court declared that police officers who are legal practitioners but have not been appointed or upgraded as legal officers cannot perform the functions of legal officers in the Nigeria Police Force, except in criminal prosecutions permitted by law.

He said the court also restrained such officers from presenting themselves as legal officers or carrying out duties attached to the office without lawful authorisation.

“The court declared that police officers who are legal practitioners but have not been appointed or upgraded as legal officers cannot perform the duties of legal officers in the Nigeria Police Force, except in relation to criminal prosecutions permitted by law,” Osigwe said.

The NBA President added that the court found that the PSC, the police force and the Inspector-General of Police have a mandatory obligation under Section 66(3) of the Police Act, 2020, to deploy legally qualified police officers to police divisions nationwide.

“The court directed the relevant authorities to comply with that statutory obligation by assigning at least one legally qualified police officer to every police division across the federation,” he stated.

However, Osigwe noted that the court did not grant all the reliefs sought by the NBA, particularly the request for automatic upgrading of police lawyers to the rank of Superintendent of Police.

Despite this, he described the judgment as a major step towards improving legal practice within the Nigeria Police Force and ensuring compliance with statutory responsibilities.

“Although the court did not grant all the reliefs sought by the association, particularly the prayer for the automatic upgrading of police lawyers to the rank of Superintendent of Police, the judgment represents a significant advancement in the development of legal practice within the Nigeria Police Force,” he said.

Osigwe said the decision reinforced the importance of professionalism, statutory compliance and respect for the rule of law in law enforcement institutions.

“This decision also affirms the indispensable role of legal practitioners within law enforcement institutions and strengthens the framework for the protection of constitutional rights through improved legal oversight at the divisional level,” he added.

The NBA President commended the leadership of SPIDEL and the legal team involved in the litigation, particularly the Chairman of the SPIDEL Public Interest Litigation Committee, Olukunle Edun (SAN).

“I commend the leadership of SPIDEL for conceiving and pursuing this important public interest litigation,” Osigwe said.

He added that the NBA would review the judgment, monitor its implementation and take further steps where necessary to ensure that the objectives of the suit were achieved.

“This judgment is another demonstration of our commitment to promoting the rule of law, strengthening public institutions, defending the integrity of the legal profession, and advancing reforms that serve the public interest,” Osigwe stated.