The National Industrial Court in Abuja has ruled that police officers who are not employed in the Specialist Legal Cadre cannot represent the Nigeria Police Force in civil proceedings, even if they are qualified legal practitioners.
In a landmark judgment delivered on Friday, Justice O. Anuwe also ordered the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to deploy at least one police lawyer to every police station across Nigeria, in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020.
The ruling was delivered in suit NICN/ABJ/264/2025, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) against the PSC and five other respondents.
The case, prosecuted by the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), sought the interpretation of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, the Police Act 2020, and relevant police regulations governing the role of police lawyers.
The NBA argued that many General Duty police officers who later qualified as lawyers continued to perform legal duties and represent the Police in court without being formally converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre, contrary to the law.
The association maintained that the Rules of Professional Conduct permit only lawyers employed as legal officers within a government department or agency to appear in court on behalf of their employer.
Before addressing the substantive issues, the court dismissed a preliminary objection by the PSC challenging the NBA’s legal standing, holding that the association had the right to institute the suit in the public interest to protect the integrity of the legal profession.
Justice Anuwe ruled that legally qualified police officers who have not been appointed or converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre cannot represent the Nigeria Police Force in civil matters, declaring such practice inconsistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The court therefore restrained such officers from appearing in civil proceedings on behalf of the Police until they are properly appointed to the Specialist Legal Cadre.
In addition, the court directed the PSC and the Inspector-General of Police to implement Section 66(3) of the Police Act by deploying police lawyers to police stations nationwide.
According to the judgment, the presence of legal officers in police formations will strengthen legal oversight, improve compliance with human rights standards, and enhance accountability in areas such as arrests, detention, investigations and other policing activities.
The judgment is expected to significantly advance the professionalisation of legal practice within the Nigeria Police Force and reinforce adherence to the rule of law.
Reacting to the ruling, the NBA described the judgment as a major victory for strategic public interest litigation and institutional reform within Nigeria’s justice sector. The association also commended its legal team, led by Olukunle Edun, SAN, for successfully prosecuting the case.
