Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila
Federal Government has taken another major step towards introducing state police in Nigeria, with the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill submitting a draft National Policing Bill, 2026, alongside 29 consequential amendment bills to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review.
The draft bills were submitted to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice on October 19, in line with the timetable set by the Presidential Working Group chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The legal review is expected to ensure that the proposed legislation follows legislative drafting standards and does not conflict with existing Nigerian laws before it is presented to President Bola Tinubu.
According to a statement signed by Gbajabiamila, the Ministry of Justice is expected to complete its review and return the validated draft bills to the Working Group on or before October 30, 2026.
He said, “The Ministry of Justice is expected to return the validated draft bills to the Working Group on or before Friday, 30th October 2026. The Working Group will then give the validated bills final consideration before presenting them to Mr President, thereby concluding its mandate.”
The proposed National Policing Bill is designed to create the constitutional and legal framework for a dual policing system in Nigeria. Under the proposal, the country will operate both a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
Gbajabiamila said the Working Group remains committed to ensuring that the process is thorough and transparent.
He stated, “The Working Group remains committed to a rigorous and transparent process that will deliver a comprehensive legislative proposal for consideration by the President and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.”
The statement also explained that work on the National Policing Bill is progressing alongside the ongoing consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, by the 36 State Houses of Assembly.
The constitutional amendment is a key requirement because it must be completed before the proposed National Policing Bill can be transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration.
The move represents another milestone in the Federal Government’s effort to reform Nigeria’s policing system amid growing calls for state police as a way to improve security, strengthen community policing and enable quicker responses to local security challenges.
For years, security experts, governors and stakeholders have argued that the country’s centralised policing structure has become overstretched due to rising insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes. Supporters of state police believe decentralising policing will improve intelligence gathering and enhance public safety, while critics have continued to express concerns about possible political abuse by state governments.
If eventually approved by the President, passed by the National Assembly and supported by the required constitutional amendments, the proposed legislation is expected to reshape Nigeria’s policing architecture by formally establishing both federal and state police services.
