Tinubu inaugurates committee to draft National Police Bill, names Gbajabiamila chairman

President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, appointing his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, as chairman of the committee to develop the legal framework for the implementation of state policing in Nigeria.

The committee, inaugurated at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, is expected to prepare an implementation-ready National Policing Bill following the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, by the National Assembly.

Represented at the inauguration by Gbajabiamila, President Tinubu said while the constitutional amendment establishes the legal basis for a dual policing system, a separate National Policing Bill is required to operationalise the framework.

“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.

He explained that the proposed legislation would define the operational architecture for state policing by providing clear guidelines on minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability mechanisms, human rights protections, and fiscal responsibilities.

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According to Tinubu, the working group has been tasked with producing a technically sound draft bill that can be transmitted to the National Assembly immediately after the constitutional amendment process is concluded.

“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,” he said, stressing the urgency of the exercise in view of the country’s security challenges.

The committee comprises key government officials and stakeholders, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Adam Osigwe; Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun; the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu; as well as the chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police.

A dedicated secretariat will also be established to provide administrative support to the committee.

Speaking on behalf of the governors, Abiodun reaffirmed the commitment of state governments to ensuring the speedy implementation of the reform. He pledged that governors would work with their respective state Houses of Assembly to facilitate the prompt consideration and passage of the necessary constitutional amendments.

Describing the initiative as a response to Nigerians’ long-standing demand for decentralised policing, the Ogun governor said the proposed state police system could significantly strengthen national security by complementing the existing federal police structure.

He noted that if each state recruited about 6,000 personnel, nearly 200,000 additional officers would be deployed nationwide, helping to address manpower shortages and improve community policing.

Attorney-General Fagbemi described the initiative as both timely and necessary, given the country’s current security situation.

“There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck,” he said, urging governors to ensure the swift passage of the constitutional amendment to pave the way for implementation.

Also speaking, NBA President Adam Osigwe reiterated the association’s support for state policing but warned that the enabling law must contain adequate safeguards to prevent abuse of power.

“Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police. However, we must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression,” he said.

The inauguration was attended by attorneys-general and commissioners for justice from Plateau, Lagos and Ondo states, representatives of the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser, alongside other senior government officials and stakeholders.