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President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated a Presidential Working Group to draft the National Policing Bill, a key step towards implementing state police in Nigeria.
The inauguration, held on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was performed on the President’s behalf by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The move follows the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, by the National Assembly, which proposes a dual policing system comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.
According to President Tinubu, while the constitutional amendment establishes the framework for state police, the National Policing Bill will provide the legal and operational structure for its implementation. He said the bill would address key issues including minimum policing standards, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and funding requirements.
Tinubu said the working group was set up to produce an implementation-ready draft bill for transmission to the National Assembly immediately after the constitutional amendment process is completed, adding that the government was acting early to avoid delays.
The committee is chaired by Gbajabiamila and includes the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Security Adviser and the Inspector-General of Police.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dapo Abiodun pledged governors’ support for the reform, describing state police as a response to Nigerians’ long-standing demand for community-based policing.
Also speaking, Lateef Fagbemi urged governors to ensure the speedy ratification of the constitutional amendment, while Afam Osigwe backed the initiative but stressed the need for strong legal safeguards to prevent abuse and protect citizens’ rights.
The inauguration was attended by attorneys-general from several states, representatives of the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser, as well as other senior government officials.
