Tinubu Inaugurates Panel To Draft State Police Bill

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday inaugurated a Presidential Working Group to draft the National Policing Bill, which will provide the legal framework for the implementation of state police across Nigeria.

Tinubu, who spoke at the Presidential Villa through his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, already passed by the National Assembly, only created the framework for a dual policing structure but did not operationalise it.

Gbajabiamila is to chair the committee.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the proposed National Policing Bill would address the practical details required to make state police functional.

“The Constitution Amendment Bill establishes the framework for dual policing, but it does not operationalise it. That work is left to the National Policing Bill,” Tinubu said.

“The proposed National Policing Bill will include provisions on minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and fiscal conditions.”

Tinubu said the working group was set up to produce “a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly.”

He explained that it was necessary to begin work on the implementing legislation while the constitutional amendment process was still ongoing.

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

Members of the panel include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police and the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police.

A secretariat is also expected to provide administrative support for the committee.

Speaking on behalf of the governors, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, pledged the support of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for the speedy implementation of the reform once the bill gets to state Houses of Assembly.

“This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List,” Abiodun said.

He described state police as a response to long-standing demands for community-based policing across the country.

The governor also said the reform would help address manpower shortages in the security sector.

“If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police,” he said.

Abiodun commended the Presidency for commencing implementation planning before the constitutional amendment process is fully concluded.

“This inauguration demonstrates the proactiveness of the Executive in preparing for effective implementation,” he added.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said the timing of the initiative was appropriate, given the security challenges facing the country.

“There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck,” he said.

Fagbemi appealed to governors to work with their state assemblies to ensure the early ratification of the constitutional amendment.

“I appeal to the governors to do their utmost to ensure the early passage of the constitutional amendment because this is a shared responsibility,” he added.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, also expressed support for the creation of state police but warned that the legal framework must contain strong safeguards.

“Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police,” Osigwe said.

“We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression.”

Also present at the Villa were attorneys-general and commissioners for justice from Plateau, Lagos and Ondo states, representatives of the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser, as well as senior government officials.

The working group is expected to submit an implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for onward transmission to the National Assembly.