President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday took a major step toward the establishment of state police in Nigeria by inaugurating the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, a committee tasked with drafting the legal framework for implementing a dual policing system across the country.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, at the inauguration held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tinubu said the committee would prepare an implementation-ready bill to operationalise state police immediately after the constitutional amendment process is completed.
The inauguration follows the National Assembly’s passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, which seeks to create a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.
While noting that the constitutional amendment merely creates the framework for state policing, the President said the National Policing Bill would provide the legal and operational foundation required for its implementation.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He explained that the proposed legislation would address critical issues required for the smooth implementation of state police, including minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability mechanisms, human rights safeguards and fiscal conditions.
“The proposed National Policing Bill will include provisions on minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and fiscal conditions,” he stated.
According to the President, the committee was deliberately constituted ahead of the completion of the constitutional amendment process to prevent unnecessary delays in implementing the reform.
“The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly.
“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,” he added.
Gbajabiamila will chair the committee, whose membership includes the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police and the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun pledged the full support of state governors toward the speedy implementation of the reform, assuring that governors would work to secure prompt approval of the constitutional amendment by their respective state Houses of Assembly.
Describing state police as a response to long-standing public demand for community-based policing, Abiodun said the initiative would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
“This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List,” he said.
He added that the proposal validates the success recorded by regional security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West.
Abiodun also projected a massive increase in policing capacity if every state established its own police service.
“If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police.”
The governor commended Tinubu for commencing implementation plans before the constitutional amendment process was concluded.
“This inauguration demonstrates the proactiveness of the Executive in preparing for effective implementation,” he said.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, described the initiative as timely in view of the country’s security challenges.
“There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck,” Fagbemi said.
He appealed to state governors to ensure the speedy ratification of the constitutional amendment by their various Houses of Assembly.
“I appeal to the governors to do their utmost to ensure the early passage of the constitutional amendment because this is a shared responsibility,” he added.
Also speaking, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, reaffirmed the association’s support for state policing, insisting that Nigeria’s security realities require a decentralised policing structure.
“Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police,” Osigwe said.
He, however, cautioned against creating a policing system susceptible to abuse, stressing the need for strong legal safeguards.
“We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression,” he said.
Osigwe assured that the NBA would actively support the committee in producing legislation capable of strengthening national security while protecting the constitutional rights of Nigerians.
Also present at the inauguration were Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Justice from Plateau, Lagos and Ondo states, representatives of the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser, as well as other senior government officials.
