Tinubu Inaugurates Committee to Prepare State Police Implementation Bill
President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to develop the legal framework for implementing state police across Nigeria.
The inauguration, held on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was performed on the president’s behalf by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The move follows the Senate’s approval of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, which proposes a dual policing system comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.
According to Tinubu, while the constitutional amendment provides the legal basis for state policing, the National Policing Bill will establish the operational framework required to put the system into effect.
He explained that the proposed legislation would set standards for policing, determine state readiness, define federal-state coordination, ensure accountability, protect human rights, and outline conditions for personnel transition and funding.
The president said the committee had been established to produce a comprehensive draft bill that would be ready for submission to the National Assembly immediately after the constitutional amendment process is completed. He added that the panel would also recommend any additional legal instruments necessary for the successful implementation of the new policing structure.
Gbajabiamila will chair the committee, while members include the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; the National Security Adviser; the Inspector-General of Police; the President of the Nigerian Bar Association; the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police; and a secretariat.
Speaking at the inauguration, Fagbemi described the initiative as timely, citing the country’s growing security challenges. He urged state governors to facilitate the speedy ratification of the constitutional amendment through their respective state assemblies, stressing that the process required collective commitment.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, expressed the association’s support for the establishment of state police, arguing that a single national police force can no longer effectively secure the country. However, he emphasised the need for strong legal safeguards to prevent abuse of power and ensure accountability.
Osigwe pledged the NBA’s support in drafting legislation that would strengthen national security while protecting the rights of citizens.
Representing the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun assured the Federal Government of the governors’ commitment to the reform. He said the plan was for all 36 state assemblies to consider and pass the constitutional amendment simultaneously once it is transmitted to them.
Abiodun described state police as a response to Nigerians’ long-standing demand for community-based policing, adding that the proposal recognised the effectiveness of regional security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West.
He also said the new policing system could significantly increase the nation’s security workforce, estimating that if each state recruits about 6,000 officers, nearly 200,000 additional personnel would be added to complement the existing federal police.
The governor commended President Tinubu for initiating implementation plans before the constitutional amendment process is concluded, describing the move as a proactive step towards ensuring a smooth transition to the proposed dual policing system.
