The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has taken legal action to compel the Police Service Commission and other relevant authorities to implement laws that provide for the conversion and promotion of legal practitioners serving in the Nigeria Police Force to the specialist cadre.
At the centre of the dispute is Section 18 (9) and (11) of the Nigeria Police Force Establishment Act 2020 and Force Order 137 of the Ratified Force Order 2013, which stipulate that police officers who are called to the Nigerian Bar should be automatically moved from general duty to the legal specialist cadre, with promotions to the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP).
Despite these clear provisions, lawyers in the Force have for years remained in junior ranks such as Corporal, Sergeant, and Inspector, while still performing full legal functions — including prosecuting and defending cases in courts on behalf of the Police. The NBA argues that this long-standing neglect amounts to discrimination, especially since professionals in other fields like medicine, engineering, and accountancy enjoy prompt conversions and promotions once they are qualified.
The Association noted that past efforts to resolve the matter through dialogue with the police hierarchy yielded no results, leaving its members in the Force to continue working under conditions described as “demeaning” and “an affront to the dignity of the legal profession.”
In a suit filed on September 3, 2025, at the National Industrial Court, Abuja, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), the NBA is asking the court to order the immediate conversion and upgrading of all police officers who are lawyers to the substantive rank of Superintendent of Police.
According to the NBA, this action is necessary to put an end to years of injustice and ensure compliance with existing laws.
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