IGP Disu, NBA President move to end police-lawyers frictions
..Strengthen Justice Delivery
By Kingsley Omonobi
ABUJA — The Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have agreed to strengthen professional collaboration, improve communication and promote greater mutual respect in a bid to enhance justice delivery and public safety.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, disclosed this when he received the President of the NBA, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, and members of the Association’s National Executive Committee on a courtesy visit to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Disu congratulated Badejo-Okusanya on her emergence as NBA President, describing the engagement as an opportunity to build a stronger and more structured relationship between the Nigeria Police Force and the legal profession.
He stressed that respect for every individual, office and profession must remain fundamental to professional interactions.
According to him, while lawyers are principally concerned with protecting citizens’ rights and the Police with protecting lives and property, the responsibilities of both institutions converge in the administration of justice.
The IGP also called for greater professionalism and responsibility in the recording and dissemination of encounters involving police officers.
He stressed that personnel should not be subjected to ridicule or have the demanding circumstances of their duties trivialised for social media entertainment, particularly when officers operate under challenging conditions in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities to protect lives and property.
As part of efforts to strengthen institutional cooperation, Disu identified improved professional engagement, measures to reduce delays in criminal trials and the establishment of a dedicated NPF/NBA mechanism for seamless and open communication as key areas requiring sustained collaboration.
He said such a mechanism would provide a structured channel for addressing professional concerns, improving coordination and resolving issues before they escalated into unnecessary confrontations.
The IGP reaffirmed that the Police and the legal profession were partners in the pursuit of justice, acknowledging that disagreements could arise in the course of their respective duties.
He stressed, however, that such differences must be managed professionally, respectfully and with civility.
Disu expressed his readiness to work with the new NBA leadership towards building a stronger and more productive partnership.
The Nigeria Police Force, he said, remained committed to strengthening collaboration with the NBA and other justice-sector stakeholders towards protecting fundamental rights, improving access to justice, promoting professionalism and building a more effective, responsive and trusted criminal justice system.
Speaking during the visit, the NBA President emphasised the need for closer synergy between the Police and the legal profession, particularly through specialised training for lawyers and improved engagement between police lawyers and members of the wider Bar.
Badejo-Okusanya said the NBA had a responsibility to remain responsive to the needs of its members across the country and advocated an end to recurring clashes between lawyers and police officers.
She stressed that both professions had complementary responsibilities within the justice system.
The NBA President further highlighted a UNICEF-supported initiative on children’s access to justice, under which the NBA was proposing 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 underscored the importance of ensuring that vulnerable children were adequately supported and protected throughout the justice process.