President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to develop the legal framework for the implementation of state police across Nigeria.
The President, represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, inaugurated the committee on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The development follows the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, by the National Assembly, which proposes a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.
Speaking at the inauguration, Tinubu said that while the constitutional amendment establishes the framework for state policing, the proposed National Policing Bill would provide the legal structure required for its implementation.
“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,” the President said.
According to him, the proposed legislation will address key issues necessary for the smooth operation of state police.
“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,” he said.
Tinubu explained that the committee had been constituted to produce an implementation-ready draft bill that would be transmitted to the National Assembly immediately after the constitutional amendment process is completed.
“The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly,” he added.
The President said the committee was established to prevent unnecessary delays once the constitutional amendment is finalised.
“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,” he said.
Gbajabiamila will chair the committee, whose members include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police and the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police. A secretariat will provide administrative support to the panel.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State pledged the support of state governors for the speedy implementation of the reform.
He said governors would work to ensure the swift passage of the constitutional amendment by their respective state assemblies.
Abiodun described the proposed state police as a response to Nigerians’ long-standing demand for community-based policing.
“This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List,” he said.
The governor added that the initiative validates the success of regional security outfits such as the South-West’s Amotekun corps.
According to him, state police would significantly increase the number of security personnel across the country.
“If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police,” Abiodun said.
He commended the President for commencing implementation plans before the constitutional amendment process had been completed.
“This inauguration demonstrates the proactiveness of the Executive in preparing for effective implementation,” he added.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, described the initiative as timely in light of the country’s security challenges.
“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 also urged governors to ensure the early ratification of the constitutional amendment by their state assemblies.
“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 said.
President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, reaffirmed the association’s support for the state police initiative, saying Nigeria could no longer rely solely on one national police force.
“Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police,” he said.
However, Osigwe stressed the need for adequate safeguards to prevent the abuse of state police powers.
“We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression,” he said.
He pledged the NBA’s support in helping the committee produce legislation that strengthens security while protecting the rights of citizens.
Also present at the inauguration were the Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Justice of Plateau, Lagos and Ondo states, representatives of the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser, as well as other senior government officials.
