Tinubu Inaugurates Committee to Draft National Policing Bill

• Presidential panel to prepare legal framework for implementing state police after constitutional amendment.
• Draft bill to define policing standards, accountability, funding, human rights safeguards and federal-state coordination.
• Governors pledge speedy ratification as NBA backs state police but warns against abuse of powers.

President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated a Presidential Working Group to draft the National Policing Bill, a key piece of legislation expected to provide the legal framework for implementing state police across Nigeria.

The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, who represented the President.

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The development follows the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, by the Senate, which proposes a dual policing system comprising the Nigeria Police Force and state police services in all 36 states.

Speaking at the inauguration, Tinubu said while the constitutional amendment creates the foundation for state policing, the National Policing Bill would establish the operational structure needed to implement the new security arrangement.

“The constitutional amendment bill provides the framework for dual policing, but it does not operationalise it. That responsibility rests with the National Policing Bill,” the President said.

He explained that the proposed legislation would set out minimum policing standards, criteria for state readiness, mechanisms for federal-state collaboration, accountability measures, human rights protections and conditions for personnel transition.

According to him, the committee has been tasked with producing a technically sound and implementation-ready draft bill for transmission to the National Assembly immediately after the constitutional amendment process is completed.

Tinubu said the panel would also recommend any additional legal instruments required to ensure the smooth implementation of the dual policing structure.

“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,” he added.

Gbajabiamila will chair the committee, whose membership includes the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police and the committee’s secretariat.

Representing the governors, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun assured the Presidency of the NGF’s commitment to the initiative.

He disclosed that governors had agreed to work towards securing simultaneous passage of the constitutional amendment by their respective state Houses of Assembly once it is transmitted.

“The plan is that when the bill gets to our various Houses of Assembly, we will all pass it on the same day,” Abiodun said.

He described state policing as a long-awaited response to Nigerians’ demand for a decentralised and community-oriented security system.

According to him, the reform builds on the success recorded by regional security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West.

Abiodun also noted that establishing state police would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by increasing the number of law enforcement personnel nationwide.

“If each state recruits about 6,000 officers, nearly 200,000 additional personnel will complement the existing federal police,” he said.

The governor commended Tinubu for initiating implementation plans before the constitutional amendment process had been concluded, describing the move as evidence of proactive governance.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, described the initiative as timely, given the country’s security challenges.

He appealed to state governors to ensure the constitutional amendment receives speedy approval in their various legislatures.

“There is no denying that we are at a critical point in our security situation, and all stakeholders must play their part,” Fagbemi said.

Also speaking, NBA President Afam Osigwe reaffirmed the association’s support for state policing, arguing that a single national police force can no longer effectively meet Nigeria’s security needs.

He, however, stressed that the enabling law must contain adequate safeguards to prevent abuse by state authorities.

“We must ensure that we do not create another problem. The legal framework must guarantee accountability and protect citizens from oppression,” Osigwe said.

He pledged the NBA’s support in developing legislation capable of strengthening security while safeguarding constitutional rights and the rule of law.