…As presidency opens public portal for Nigerians’ input
By Wale Afolabi
President Bola Tinubu is expected to receive the proposed National Policing Bill on September 3, 2026, as the Federal Government advances efforts to establish state policing across Nigeria.
The Presidency has also launched a public portal to allow Nigerians submit recommendations and memoranda before the Executive Bill is transmitted to the National Assembly.
Speaking after a meeting of the Presidential Working Group at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the drafting process would run for seven weeks, from July 27 to September 14, with the Executive Bill package scheduled for presentation to the President on September 3.
“The resulting Executive Bill package is scheduled for presentation to the President on the 3rd of September,” Gbajabiamila said.
He explained that extensive public consultations would precede the President’s final approval of the legislation before it is forwarded to lawmakers for consideration.
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Describing the proposal as one of Nigeria’s most significant security reforms, Gbajabiamila said the objective is to establish “a lawful, professional and sustainable federal and state policing system” capable of improving community-based security while safeguarding national unity and citizens’ rights.
He clarified that although both chambers of the National Assembly have approved constitutional amendments to allow the creation of state police, the process remains incomplete pending ratification by the required number of State Houses of Assembly.
Until that constitutional process is concluded, he noted, the Nigeria Police Force remains the country’s only constitutionally recognised policing institution.
Gbajabiamila stressed that the proposed framework contains safeguards to prevent political abuse of state police by governors or other public office holders.
“No political officeholder should be able to direct the arrest of an opponent, the suppression of lawful political activity or the selective enforcement of the law,” he said.
He added that any federal intervention in state policing would only occur under exceptional circumstances and would be evidence-based, limited in scope and subject to oversight.
As part of efforts to encourage public participation, the Presidency unveiled nationalpolicingbill.com, where Nigerians can submit comments and recommendations over the next two weeks, with the possibility of extending the consultation period.
On the financial implications of implementing state police, Gbajabiamila said it was too early to determine the cost but insisted that security should remain a national priority.
“There is no cost that will be too much to secure lives and property,” he said, adding that implementation costs would ultimately depend on detailed studies and the capacity of individual states.
He further explained that while national policing standards would establish minimum operational benchmarks across the federation, states with greater financial and institutional capacity would be free to exceed those standards.
