Court Orders Nationwide Deployment Of Lawyers To Police Divisions

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has ordered the deployment of legally qualified police officers to every Police Division across the country, reaffirming the statutory obligation of the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission to strengthen legal oversight and promote compliance with human rights standards.

The landmark judgment was delivered on July 10, 2026, by the National Industrial Court, Abuja Judicial Division, in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/264/2025 between the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Police Service Commission alongside five other defendants.

Announcing the development, NBA President, Afam Osigwe, said the public interest suit was instituted by the association through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) to seek judicial interpretation and enforcement of the Police Act, 2020, and the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2023, regarding the status, functions and deployment of lawyers serving within the Nigeria Police Force.

In its judgment, the court declared that police officers who are qualified legal practitioners but have not been appointed or upgraded as Legal Officers cannot perform the duties of Legal Officers, except in relation to criminal prosecutions permitted by law.

The court also restrained such officers from holding themselves out as Legal Officers or carrying out the responsibilities attached to that office unless expressly authorised by law.

The court further held that the Police Service Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police have a mandatory statutory obligation under Section 66(3) of the Police Act, 2020, to deploy legally qualified police officers to every Police Division in Nigeria to promote and ensure compliance with human rights standards.

Consequently, the court directed the relevant authorities to assign at least one legally qualified police officer to every Police Division across the Federation.

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Although the court declined the NBA’s request for the automatic upgrading of police lawyers to the rank of Superintendent of Police, Osigwe described the judgment as a significant victory for the legal profession and the rule of law.

He said the ruling reinforces professionalism within the Nigeria Police Force, strengthens legal practice in law enforcement, and enhances the protection of constitutional rights through improved legal oversight at the divisional level.

The NBA President commended SPIDEL for initiating the litigation and praised the Chairman of the SPIDEL Public Interest Litigation Committee, Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun, the legal team and committee members for successfully prosecuting the case.

Osigwe added that the association would study the judgment, monitor its implementation and take further lawful steps where necessary to ensure that the objectives of the ruling are fully realised.