The Federal Government has taken a major step towards restructuring Nigeria’s policing system with the inauguration of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill. President Bola Tinubu, represented on Tuesday by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, launched the committee at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, describing it as a critical stage in preparing the legal framework for the implementation of state police across the country.
The move follows the Senate’s passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, which proposes a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services. According to the President, while the constitutional amendment establishes the legal basis for state policing, the proposed National Policing Bill will provide the operational framework needed to put the system into effect.
Tinubu said the committee has been tasked with producing an implementation-ready draft bill for transmission to the National Assembly without waiting for the constitutional amendment process to be concluded. He explained that the legislation will address key issues including minimum policing standards, state readiness, coordination between federal and state authorities, personnel transition, accountability measures, human rights protections and funding requirements.
The Working Group is chaired by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and includes the Attorney-General of the Federation, 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 a supporting secretariat. The committee is also expected to recommend additional legal instruments required for the successful rollout of the proposed policing structure.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, described the initiative as a timely response to the country’s security challenges. He urged state governors to work with their Houses of Assembly to ensure the speedy ratification of the constitutional amendment, saying the proposed reform requires collaboration across all levels of government.
Stakeholders at the inauguration also stressed the need to balance expanded policing powers with strong legal safeguards. NBA President Afam Osigwe said the association supports the creation of state police but cautioned that the enabling law must contain clear accountability mechanisms to prevent abuse and protect citizens’ rights. He pledged the NBA’s support in developing legislation that strengthens security while upholding the rule of law.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun said governors were committed to supporting the reform and would work towards the swift consideration of the constitutional amendment in their respective state assemblies. He described state police as a response to long-standing calls for community-based policing, adding that the new structure could significantly increase the number of security personnel nationwide by complementing the existing federal police system.
