Court Orders Police Lawyers at All Stations Nationwide

A court in Abuja has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to deploy police lawyers to every police station across the country, aiming to strengthen compliance with human rights standards. This decision stems from a suit filed by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), marked NICN/ABJ/264/2025, which challenged the practice of police officers performing legal duties without being properly qualified.

The court ruled that police officers who are not converted to specialist legal cadres cannot represent the Nigeria Police Force in civil proceedings. The NBA argued that many police officers, after obtaining law degrees and being called to the bar, were still performing legal duties without the requisite legal status.

Justice O.Y. Anuw dismissed preliminary objections from the police service, affirming the NBA's standing in the case.

The ruling is seen as a significant milestone for the NBA in advancing legal oversight and human rights compliance within police operations. The court's order also requires the Inspector General of Police to implement these changes nationwide.