By TQM News,
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and the newly elected President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, have agreed to deepen collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and the legal profession in a bid to reduce recurring tensions between lawyers and police officers and strengthen justice delivery in Nigeria.
The commitment was made on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when the NBA President, accompanied by members of the Association’s National Executive Committee, paid a courtesy visit to the IGP at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting focused on improving professional communication, mutual respect, access to justice, criminal justice reforms and stronger institutional cooperation between the two key pillars of Nigeria’s justice system.
NBA Seeks End to Recurring Police-Lawyer Clashes
Speaking during the meeting, NBA President Badejo-Okusanya called for closer synergy between lawyers and the Police, particularly through specialised training for members of the legal profession and improved engagement between Police lawyers and the wider Bar.
She stressed that lawyers and police officers, despite sometimes finding themselves on opposite sides of contentious situations, have complementary responsibilities within the justice system.
According to her, the NBA must remain responsive to the needs of lawyers across the country while working to address recurring confrontations between members of the two professions.
She advocated a more constructive relationship built on professionalism, communication and mutual understanding rather than confrontation.
NBA Proposes Police Lawyers at Stations to Protect Children
A major issue raised during the engagement was the need to strengthen access to justice for children who come into contact with the criminal justice system.
The NBA President highlighted a UNICEF-supported initiative on children’s access to justice, explaining that the Association is proposing the presence of a Police lawyer at every police station.
The proposed arrangement, she noted, would help ensure that children receive appropriate legal support and protection throughout their interaction with the justice system.
The initiative is particularly aimed at ensuring that vulnerable children are not left without adequate safeguards when they come into contact with law enforcement authorities.
IGP: Police, Lawyers Are Partners in Justice
Responding, IGP Disu congratulated Badejo-Okusanya on her emergence as President of the NBA and described the visit as an opportunity to establish a stronger and more structured relationship between the Nigeria Police Force and the legal profession.
The IGP emphasised that respect for individuals, offices and professions must remain central to professional interactions.
He noted that although lawyers have a primary responsibility to protect citizens’ rights while the Police are constitutionally charged with protecting lives and property, the responsibilities of both institutions ultimately converge in the administration of justice.
He therefore called for disagreements between police officers and lawyers to be handled with professionalism, civility and mutual respect.
IGP Raises Concern Over Social Media Portrayal of Police Operations
The IGP also appealed for greater professionalism in the recording and dissemination of encounters involving police personnel.
He cautioned against situations where officers are subjected to ridicule or the difficult circumstances under which they perform their duties are trivialised for social media entertainment.
According to him, police personnel operate in challenging environments while carrying out their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, and such realities should be taken into consideration when their activities are recorded or shared publicly.
NPF, NBA to Establish Direct Communication Channel
As part of efforts to prevent professional disagreements from escalating, IGP Disu identified several areas where stronger collaboration is required.
These include improved professional engagement, reducing delays in criminal trials and establishing a dedicated NPF/NBA communication mechanism that would provide both institutions with a structured channel for openly addressing concerns.
Such a platform, he noted, could facilitate better coordination, resolve professional disagreements and prevent avoidable confrontations between lawyers and police officers.
‘Disagreements Must Not Become Confrontations’
The IGP reaffirmed that the Police and legal profession are partners in the pursuit of justice and acknowledged that disagreements are inevitable in the course of professional duties.
However, he stressed that such differences must be managed professionally and respectfully.
He expressed his readiness to work with the new NBA leadership to build a more productive relationship capable of improving the administration of justice and strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The meeting comes at a time when calls for improved relations among justice-sector institutions continue to grow, particularly over concerns surrounding access to justice, protection of fundamental rights, delays in criminal trials and professional disagreements between lawyers and law enforcement personnel.
Both institutions are expected to build on the engagement as they work towards a justice system where the protection of rights, public safety and the rule of law can advance side by side.
The Nigeria Police Force reaffirmed its commitment to working with the NBA and other justice-sector stakeholders to promote professionalism, protect fundamental rights, improve access to justice and build a more effective, responsive and trusted criminal justice system.
