The Federal Government has taken a major step toward the establishment of state police in Nigeria, with the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, announcing a seven week timeline for the completion of the proposed National Policing Bill that will provide the legal framework for the long anticipated security reform.
Gbajabiamila made the disclosure after the inaugural meeting of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill at the State House in Abuja. He revealed that the committee is expected to present the executive bill to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on September 3, 2026, before the final legislative package is submitted to the National Assembly following nationwide consultations.
According to him, the working group has already begun both the administrative and technical processes required to draft a comprehensive law that will define how state police will operate across the country. The proposed legislation is expected to address critical issues such as recruitment, funding, command structure, operational standards, accountability mechanisms, jurisdiction, and cooperation between federal and state police authorities...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Gbajabiamila emphasized that the introduction of state police will not automatically take effect until the ongoing constitutional amendment process is completed and the necessary implementing laws are enacted. He also stressed that every state must meet clearly defined operational standards before establishing its own police service, ensuring that the new system is professional, accountable, and capable of protecting citizens without political interference.
The Presidency also plans to hold a nationwide consultation where Nigerians, civil society organisations, security experts, and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to make contributions before the bill is transmitted to lawmakers. This approach is aimed at building broad national consensus on one of the country’s most significant security reforms in recent years.
The push for state police has remained a major national conversation for years, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing will improve security, enhance local intelligence gathering, and enable quicker responses to crime. At the same time, the Federal Government has assured Nigerians that strong safeguards will be included in the legislation to prevent abuse of the system by political office holders while maintaining national security standards.
