Section 66 Nigeria Police Act

Section 66 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 is about Powers to prosecute. It is under Part VII (Powers of Police Officers) of the Act. It provides as follows:

(1) Subject to the provisions of section 1 74 and 211 of the Constitution and section 106 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act which relates to the powers of the Attorney-General of the Federation and of a State to institute, take over and continue or discontinue criminal proceedings against any person before any court of law in Nigeria, a police officer who is a legal practitioner, may prosecute in person before any court whether or not the information or complaint is laid in his name.

(2) A police officer may, subject to the provisions of the relevant criminal
procedure laws in force at the Federal or State level, prosecute before the
courts those offences which non-qualified legal practitioners can prosecute.

(3) There shall be assigned to every Police Division at least one police officer-
(a) who is qualified to practise as legal practitioner in accordance with the Legal Practitioners Act ; and
(b)whose responsibility is to promote human rights compliance by officers of the Division.