*Cites Police Lawyers’ Court Appearances As Constables And Sergeants
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The Council of Legal Education is facing pressure to reject the Nigeria Police Academy Wudi’s request for law school accreditation, following allegations that the police force mistreats and disrespects lawyers within its ranks.
In a letter to the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Imo State-based lawyer Ezekwesiri Nwauwa of Duke Royal Chambers highlighted the stark contrast between how the police treat other professionals like accountants, doctors, engineers and pilots compared to lawyers. He noted that while these other professionals are elevated to senior officer ranks, many police lawyers, even those with over a decade of experience, languish in the rank and file grades.
“About eighty (80) percent of the lawyers working as Legal Officers for the Nigeria Police Force all over the federation, some of whom are over ten years post-call, are still within the grade of rank and file in the Nigeria Police Force (less than grade 8),” Nwauwa wrote. “These qualified legal practitioners keep announcing appearances in Courts on behalf of the Police Force as Constables, Corporals, Sergeants and Inspectors.”
Nwauwa argued this treatment is a clear violation of Section 18(9) of the Police Act 2020, which recognizes law as a profession and states lawyers should be employed to use their professional competence to advance police objectives. He contrasted the situation in the police with other security agencies like the NDLEA, NSCDC, Customs, FRSC, SSS and NIS, where he has never encountered legal officers announcing appearances in court as junior ranks.
“Why will Nigeria Police, the front line and foremost LAW enforcement and security agency, be the one to ridicule a profession that is pivotal and central to its core mandate?” Nwauwa questioned. “A situation where its own attorneys-at-law are treated with scorn, disdain and ridicule, how can the lawyers therein be watchdogs against human rights abuses inherent within the force?”
Nwauwa beseeched the Council to “never allow accreditation of the Law faculty of the Nigeria Police Academy” on the grounds that an organization with such “gruesome disregard” for the legal profession does not deserve to have its students accepted into the Nigerian Law School.
The letter was copied to the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police. As of press time, the police had not responded to requests for comment on the allegations.
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