B.I. SALISU CHAMBERS (Law Firm)

Barristers, Solicitors & Legal Consultants. Practicing Excellence. email: [email protected] Legal Mail: [email protected] @salisu_bi

[B.I. SALISU CHAMBERS (Law Firm) @bisalisuchamber]

@Chinaluemmanuel @LawPavilion I need a copy of the judgment please. Send via [email protected]

[Nigerian Bar Association @NigBarAssoc]

“Court Bars Non-Specialist Police Lawyers from Appearing in Civil Cases, Orders Deployment of Police Lawyers to All Police Stations Nationwide”

In a landmark judgment with far-reaching implications for policing, human rights enforcement and locus standi in Nigeria, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division, has barred police officers who are not employed in the Specialist Legal Cadre from appearing in civil proceedings on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Court also directed the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to deploy at least one police lawyer to every police station across the country to strengthen compliance with human rights standards in policing.

The judgment was delivered on Friday, 10 July 2026, by *Hon. Justice O. Y. Anuwe* in *Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. Police Service Commission & 5 Others (Suit No. NICN/ABJ/264/2025)* The action was instituted by the Nigerian Bar Association.

The suit, prosecuted by SPIDEL's Public Interest Litigation Committee led by *Olukunle O. Edun, SAN*, sought, among other reliefs, 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.

The NBA argued that several police officers recruited as General Duty Officers subsequently obtained Law Degrees and were called to the Nigerian Bar but were never converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre as required by law. Despite this, the officers continued to undertake legal duties, including representing the Nigeria Police in court.

According to the claimant, this practice contravenes Rule 8 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibits lawyers in salaried employment from appearing for their employers in court unless they are employed as legal officers in a government department or agency.

Among the principal reliefs sought were orders directing the conversion of all qualified police lawyers performing legal services in the Force to the Specialist Legal Cadre and compelling the deployment of police lawyers to every police division in Nigeria in accordance with Section 66(3) of the Police Act 2020, which provides for legal officers to support human rights compliance within the Force.

Before considering the substantive issues, the Court dismissed the preliminary objection filed by the Police Service Commission, which had challenged the competence of the suit, including the locus standi of the Nigerian Bar Association to institute the action.

In adopting a liberal approach to standing in public interest litigation, the Court held that the NBA possessed the requisite legal standing, observing that the suit was instituted to protect the interests of legal practitioners and promote compliance with statutory and professional obligations.

On the merits, the Court held that the continued deployment of legally qualified police officers who had not been converted to the Specialist Legal Cadre to represent the Nigeria Police in civil proceedings was inconsistent with the applicable provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

The Court consequently restrained such officers from appearing in civil cases on behalf of the Nigeria Police until they are duly appointed or converted to the appropriate legal cadre.

Justice Anuwe further ordered the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to give effect to Section 66(3) of the Police Act by deploying police lawyers to police stations nationwide to strengthen legal oversight and ensure greater protection of human rights in police operations.

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[B.I. SALISU CHAMBERS (Law Firm) @bisalisuchamber]

https://t.co/niQm4wyRHG

[Bashir Ibrahim Salisu @bi_salisu]

Not necessarily, because anyone that witnessed the proceedings and has legal knowledge will find it obvious that the proceedings were marred by fundamental irregularities. The appellate section of the Kano High Court did the right thing by quashing the conviction..

[Olumide Akpata @OlumideAkpata]

Lawyers are not smiling about goings-on after #ENDSARS protests. @djswitch_ goes into hiding after receiving phone threats, @moeodele passport seized & she can't travel, @savvyrinu et al accounts frozen by CBN. This was not the deal.
#wrongmove #breachoftrust #malafides #illwind

[Olumide Akpata @OlumideAkpata]

The @NigBarAssoc strongly condemns the act of recklessness and lawlessness by the security apparatus of the Nigerian Government in what, based on reports available to us, appears to have been a carefully calculated and premeditated attack on peaceful protesters.

[Prof. Yemi Osinbajo @ProfOsinbajo]

Dear Nigerians, I know that many of you are angry, and understandably so. We could’ve moved faster and for this we are sorry.

[B.I. SALISU CHAMBERS (Law Firm) @bisalisuchamber]

This is indeed commendable and bringing the association closer to the members.

[Olumide Akpata @OlumideAkpata]

Dear Learned Colleagues and Friends, during the election campaign, one of my promises was to regularly engage and provide you with monthly updates from my desk on our activities. It has been a month since I was sworn into office and I am writing to you to fulfill that promise.

[Olumide Akpata @OlumideAkpata]

Dear Learned Colleagues and Friends, during the election campaign, one of my promises was to regularly engage and provide you with monthly updates from my desk on our activities. It has been a month since I was sworn into office and I am writing to you to fulfill that promise.

[Senior Man @KingEsene]

1. HE WHO COMES TO EQUITY, MUST COME WITH CLEAN HANDS
The story of how Mr. Tobias almost lost millions of naira as a good samaritan until equity came to his aid. Important lessons on how some people pay back a good deed with a bad action or conduct.
Thread.

[Olumide Akpata @OlumideAkpata]

I have seen and read Statutory Instrument No 15 of 2020 making the rounds on social media and which purports to amend the RPC. I am engaging with the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation on this issue and will provide further updates on our next steps in the coming days.

[B.I. SALISU CHAMBERS (Law Firm) @bisalisuchamber]

@adedunmade @LegalNaija @akinyemilaw @MaxxyB @nbalagosbranch @OlumideAkpata @tobiBowale @NBAYLFOfficial @MalachyOdo1 @BAjibadeSAN @FAdekoyaSAN What about the delivery?

[NBA Abuja Branch @NBAAbuja]

Happening now... sights from the ongoing NBA AGM 2020 featuring the NBA Abuja Chairman @ByAtsen and incoming General Secretary Joyce Oduah.

[Legalpedia @Legalpedia]

It takes courage and strength to admit the truth - Rick Riordan

[Call To Bar NG @CallToBarNG]

Kelechi Madu becomes the first Black Minister of Justice in Canada's history.

He has been appointed as the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General of Alberta, Canada.
He was ex-Minister of Municipal Affairs of Alberta, April 2019 to Aug. 2020.

Let's celebrate him.

[B.I. SALISU CHAMBERS (Law Firm) @bisalisuchamber]

Check out B. I. SALISU CHAMBERS (Law Firm) on Google!
https://t.co/jCxrkkR3pi

[Tope Akinyode @TopeAkinyode]

I need to drop this here, never ever apologise for an offence you didn't commit even if a lawyer asks you to do so.

Apologising for an offence you didn't commit is an admission of guilt & it will stand against you in evidence.

[Sam Adeyemi @sam_adeyemi]

A Nigerian immigrant took his dad to the US on a first visit. After taking him on sight seeing for 3 days, the son said; “Daddy, you’ve not said anything. You’ve just been sighing”. The old man replied; “Our people are suffering at home but they don’t really know how bad it is”.

[Bashir Ibrahim Salisu @bi_salisu]

That video might likely not be presented to the Magistrate as an evidence. And a judge only adjudicates based on the available evidence (s) presented before him by the prosecution. Don’t be surprised to find out that the case was compromised by both the prosecution and nominal...