FG begins drafting National Policing Bill for State Police implementation

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The Federal Government has commenced work on a comprehensive legal framework to guide the implementation of state police across Nigeria as efforts intensify to establish a dual policing system.

Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed the development on Monday while speaking with journalists in Abuja.

According to him, the government has launched a seven-week programme to produce a National Policing Bill that will provide the legal and operational framework for the proposed state police system.

Gbajabiamila explained that although the National Assembly has made significant progress on constitutional amendments relating to state police, no state police service currently exists anywhere in the country.

He stressed that the Nigeria Police Force remains the country’s only constitutionally recognised policing institution until the constitutional amendment process is completed and all legal requirements are fulfilled.

“The constitutional amendment creates the authority and broad architecture for federal and state policing, but it does not by itself provide the complete operating framework,” he said.

The presidential aide noted that the Senate approved the constitutional proposal on June 24, 2026, while the House of Representatives passed the Executive State Police Bill on July 23, 2026.

However, he explained that the amendment will only become effective after securing the constitutionally required approval from state Houses of Assembly and the enactment of relevant implementation laws.

“There is no operational state police service anywhere in Nigeria today. The Nigerian Police Force remains the constitutionally recognised police institution,” Gbajabiamila stated.

According to him, the proposed National Policing Bill will address key issues, including:

Administration and governance of state police

Recruitment and personnel management

Funding mechanisms

Operational responsibilities

Oversight and accountability

Coordination between federal and state police institutions

He added that the legislation would include safeguards to ensure professionalism, accountability and effective collaboration among security agencies while enabling states to respond more effectively to local security challenges.

Gbajabiamila said the Presidential Working Group would consult widely with legal experts, security professionals, state governments and other stakeholders before submitting its final recommendations.

He emphasised that the reform process must be thorough because of its far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s security architecture.

The move follows the Presidency’s earlier announcement in June that the constitutional framework for state police was nearing completion after months of consultations involving the Federal Government, the National Assembly, security agencies and state governments.

According to Gbajabiamila, the Tinubu administration remains committed to ensuring that any state policing system is backed by strong constitutional safeguards capable of improving security without undermining national unity or professional policing standards.