By Stephen Simon
The Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have opened fresh discussions aimed at ending recurring confrontations between lawyers and police officers and improving cooperation in the administration of criminal justice.
The agreement was reached on Tuesday when the NBA President, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, and members of the association’s National Executive Committee visited the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Both institutions agreed on the need for stronger collaboration, improved communication and greater mutual respect in carrying out their respective responsibilities to protect citizens’ rights, maintain public safety and advance justice.
Badejo-Okusanya called for closer engagement between the Police and the legal profession, including specialised training for lawyers and improved interaction between police lawyers and members of the wider Bar.
She said lawyers and police officers had complementary responsibilities within the justice system and should therefore work together instead of allowing disagreements in the course of their duties to degenerate into unnecessary confrontations.
The NBA President also disclosed that the association was working on a UNICEF-supported initiative to improve children’s access to justice. Under the proposed arrangement, the NBA is advocating the presence of a lawyer at every police station to provide legal support and training, particularly in matters involving children who come into contact with the juvenile justice system.
She said the initiative was aimed at reducing the number of vulnerable children who pass through the justice system without adequate legal representation and ensuring that their rights were protected throughout the process.
Responding, Disu described the meeting as an opportunity to build a stronger and more structured relationship between the Police and the legal profession. He said mutual respect for individuals, offices and professions should remain the foundation of their interactions.
The IGP noted that while lawyers primarily protect the rights of citizens and police officers are charged with protecting lives and property, the responsibilities of both institutions ultimately converge in the administration of justice.
Disu also called for greater professionalism in the recording and dissemination of encounters involving police personnel, urging caution against turning difficult operational situations into material for ridicule or social media entertainment.
He identified improved professional engagement, measures to reduce delays in criminal trials and the establishment of a dedicated Nigeria Police Force/NBA communication mechanism as key areas for sustained cooperation.
According to him, the proposed mechanism would provide a structured platform for addressing professional concerns, improving coordination and resolving disagreements before they escalate into unnecessary confrontations.
The IGP acknowledged that disagreements could arise between lawyers and police officers in the course of their duties but insisted that such differences must be handled with professionalism, civility and mutual respect.
He expressed readiness to work with the new NBA leadership and other justice-sector stakeholders to strengthen fundamental rights, improve access to justice, promote professionalism and build greater public confidence in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
