Former Lagos State Governor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Babatunde Raji Fashola, has called on members of the legal profession to take a more active role in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

He insisted that the responsibility for combating insecurity should not be left solely to politicians and security agencies.

Fashola made the call yesterday while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch Law Week, held in Lagos.

The lecture, titled, “Law, Leadership and the Ballot: Governance Beyond Politics,” drew attention to the critical role of legal practitioners in strengthening governance and public accountability.

He told lawyers, judges and policymakers that attorneys-general, as chief law officers of the federation and the states, must be more visibly engaged in the national conversation on security and justice administration, particularly at a time of rising criminality.

According to him, the fight against crime requires a coordinated approach involving the executive, legislature and judiciary, with lawyers playing a central role in shaping and enforcing effective legal responses.

He also called for stricter enforcement of laws governing vehicle registration, noting that anonymity on public roads creates opportunities for criminal activity and weakens law enforcement capacity.

Fashola maintained that identifiable vehicles were essential for modern policing, adding that registration plates should be treated as tools of accountability rather than mere administrative requirements.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, described the Law Week theme as a call for bold thinking and institutional reform in response to Nigeria’s prevailing governance and security challenges.

Chairman of the Law Week Planning Committee, Chukwudi Enebeli (SAN), said the programme was designed to provoke critical conversations around governance, accountability and national development.

He noted that the Law Week would also feature sessions involving key policymakers, including the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, as well as a memorial lecture to be delivered by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana.