Police, NBA Move to End Recurring Face-off, Strengthen Justice Delivery
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, have agreed to strengthen professional collaboration between the Police and the legal profession to reduce recurring frictions and improve justice delivery in Nigeria.
The agreement was reached on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when the NBA President and members of the Association’s National Executive Committee paid a courtesy visit to the Inspector-General at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Badejo-Okusanya called for closer engagement between the Nigeria Police Force and the legal profession, particularly through specialised training for lawyers and improved interaction between Police lawyers and members of the wider Bar.
She stressed that both professions had complementary responsibilities within the justice system and urged an end to recurring confrontations between lawyers and Police officers.
The NBA President also disclosed that the Association was working on a UNICEF-supported initiative focused on improving children’s access to justice.
Under the proposed initiative, she said, the NBA was advocating the presence of a Police lawyer at every Police station to provide appropriate legal support to children who come into contact with the juvenile justice system.
She said the proposal was aimed at ensuring that vulnerable children received adequate protection and legal support throughout the justice process.
Responding, Disu congratulated Badejo-Okusanya on her emergence as NBA President, describing the meeting as an opportunity to establish a stronger and more structured relationship between the Police and the legal profession.
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The IGP emphasised the need for mutual respect among professionals, noting that while lawyers were primarily concerned with protecting citizens’ rights and the Police with protecting lives and property, the responsibilities of both institutions ultimately converged in the administration of justice.
He also called for greater professionalism in the recording and dissemination of encounters involving Police officers, urging caution against using difficult operational situations involving personnel as material for social media ridicule or entertainment.
According to him, Police personnel operate under challenging circumstances while discharging their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, and such realities should be taken into consideration when encounters involving officers are recorded or shared publicly.
To deepen institutional cooperation, the IGP identified improved professional engagement, measures to reduce delays in criminal trials and the establishment of a dedicated NPF/NBA mechanism for open and seamless communication as key areas for sustained collaboration.
He said such a mechanism would provide a structured platform for resolving professional concerns, improving coordination and addressing disagreements before they escalate into unnecessary confrontations.
Disu reaffirmed that the Police and the legal profession remained partners in the pursuit of justice, acknowledging that disagreements could arise in the course of their respective duties.
He, however, stressed that such differences must be managed with professionalism, civility and mutual respect.
The IGP expressed his readiness to work with the new NBA leadership to build a stronger partnership capable of advancing fundamental rights, access to justice, professionalism and public confidence in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to strengthening collaboration with the NBA and other justice-sector stakeholders towards building a more effective, responsive and trusted justice system.
By PRNigeria
