The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division, has restrained legally qualified police officers who were not appointed or converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre from representing the Nigeria Police Force in civil proceedings.
The court also directed the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to deploy at least one police lawyer to police stations across the country to strengthen legal oversight and promote compliance with human rights standards in police operations.
Justice O.Y. Anuwe delivered the judgment on Friday, July 10, 2026, in Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. Police Service Commission & Five Others, marked NICN/ABJ/264/2025.
The action was instituted by the Nigerian Bar Association and prosecuted through the Public Interest Litigation Committee of its Section on Public Interest and Development Law, led by Olukunle O. Edun, SAN.
The NBA 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.
According to the Association, several police officers originally recruited into the General Duty Cadre subsequently obtained law degrees and were called to the Nigerian Bar but were not converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre as required by the applicable rules.
Despite their status, the officers allegedly continued performing legal duties, including appearing in court and representing the Nigeria Police Force in civil matters.
The NBA argued that the practice violated Rule 8 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which restricts lawyers in salaried employment from appearing in court for their employers unless they are employed as legal officers in a government ministry, department or agency.
The Association therefore asked the court to direct the PSC and the IGP to convert qualified police officers already performing legal services into the appropriate Specialist Legal Cadre.
It also sought an order compelling the deployment of police lawyers to police formations nationwide in line with Section 66(3) of the Police Act 2020, which provides for legal officers to support human rights compliance within the Force.
Before determining the substantive issues, the court dismissed a preliminary objection filed by the Police Service Commission challenging the competence of the suit and the NBA’s legal standing to institute it.
Justice Anuwe adopted a liberal approach to locus standi in public interest litigation and held that the NBA possessed sufficient legal interest to bring the action.
The court found that the suit was instituted to protect the professional interests of legal practitioners and ensure compliance with statutory and ethical obligations regulating legal practice.
On the substantive case, the court held that deploying legally qualified police officers who had not been appointed or converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre to represent the Nigeria Police Force in civil proceedings was inconsistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
It consequently restrained such officers from appearing in civil cases on behalf of the Force until they were formally appointed or converted to the appropriate legal cadre.
The court further ordered the PSC and the IGP to implement Section 66(3) of the Police Act by deploying police lawyers to police stations nationwide.
The directive is expected to strengthen legal supervision within police formations and enhance compliance with constitutional and statutory safeguards governing arrests, detention, investigations and other police activities.
The decision is also expected to accelerate the professionalisation of legal practice within the Nigeria Police Force by clarifying the status of officers who acquired legal qualifications after being recruited into the General Duty Cadre.
Beyond the question of courtroom representation, the judgment seeks to ensure that trained legal officers are available within police formations to advise investigators, address potential rights violations and improve institutional accountability.
The NBA described the judgment as a significant development in its use of strategic public interest litigation to promote institutional reforms, strengthen the rule of law and embed human rights safeguards within law-enforcement operations.
The Association said the certified true copy of the judgment would be made public when available.
It also acknowledged the work of its legal team, comprising Olukunle O. Edun, SAN; Austin J. Utah; Dr Lilian Ojimma; Bulus Y. Atsen, fsi; Olajide Abiodun; Mohammed Danjuma; and Vincent Adodo.
