Nigerian Bar Association and police seek justice for children
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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) announced a partnership in Abuja to address the lack of legal representation for children in the Nigerian juvenile justice system.
Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, president of the NBA, led a delegation to meet with Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to discuss collaborative efforts. They focused on a UNICEF project aimed at improving access to justice for children, specifically the over 26,000 currently without legal counsel or defense.
The NBA proposed placing lawyers in police stations to train officers at gender desks, hoping this would decrease the number of children without representation. Badejo-Okusanya emphasized the shared responsibility of lawyers and police in safeguarding democracy and citizens’ rights, and suggested a system for sanctioning unprofessional conduct by either party to promote better behavior. Disu welcomed the partnership, acknowledging the complementary roles of lawyers, who protect rights, and police, who protect lives and property.
He also asked the NBA to help the police address privacy violations of officers during official duties, and expressed his desire for stronger ties between the two organizations.
