Police Reforms.
There is no doubting the fact that one of the sectors needing critical reforms in our nation today is the police force. There cannot be a better time to do this than now. So much had been said on the need for police reforms in Nigeria, as it has happened in other civilized parts of the world. It is indeed time for us to walk our talk in this regard.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the current administration of President Buhari has the much needed political will to reform our police. It was indeed a cardinal campaign issue for the ruling All Progressives Party. With the military background and anti-corruption posture of Mr. President, with a Vice President who had served as an Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, with an Inspector General who has had a brilliant career in the Nigerian Police and armed with international exposure gained through serial participation in foreign missions in addition to being a lawyer and member of the Nigerian Bar, my question will be if not now, when?

The NBA must be ready to work with its members: the Vice President, the Inspector General of Police and the incoming Attorney General of the Federation to extend the change philosophy to the police and galvanize the institution in a way that will give it a humane and professional face with proper restructuring, funding and capacity building to withstand contemporary challenges. The bar must lend the police institution and those truly committed to its reforms the credibility of its voice in shouting it so loud to the relevant authorities that reforming the police cannot just be in theory but by way of political economy and so both the public and private sectors must be getting ready to adequately fund the police in order for such reforms to have meaning.

Ethics Reform.
Moral decadence in governance over the years and the extent of impunity perpetrated within the corridor of power in recent time, had resulted in a huge loss of public confidence in Government officials. The NBA must commit itself to establishing a climate of ethical conduct that reinforces the public interest and reinvigorates our citizens’ confidence in our Governments at the Federal, State and Local levels.
In response to the public’s increasing loss of confidence in the governance process, it is suggested that the NBA also consider the possibility of putting together a Task Force on Government Ethics that will review the current situation and propose recommendations for reforming public sector ethics law, focussing on four areas:
i. Improving the structure of Government enforcement mechanisms in the area of ethics, consistent with our notions of fairness and due process;
ii. Enhancing the ability of public prosecutors to bring criminal charges where a public official failed in his or her obligation to provide honest services to the public;
iii. Enhancing requirements of public disclosure where needed to increase transparency and the public’s knowledge of potential conflicts; and
iv. Modernizing the ethics laws as well as civil service codes and financial regulations applicable to Federal, State and Local Governments.