President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to develop the legal framework for the implementation of state police across Nigeria.
Tinubu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, performed the inauguration on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The development follows the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, by the National Assembly, paving the way for a dual policing system consisting of the Federal Police Service and the 36 State Police Services.
Speaking during the inauguration, the President explained that while the constitutional amendment provides the foundation for the establishment of state police, the National Policing Bill would spell out the legal and operational framework 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,” he said.
According to Tinubu, the proposed legislation will address critical issues required for the effective implementation of the new policing structure.
He said the bill would contain provisions on 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,” the President stated.
Gbajabiamila will chair the Presidential Working Group.
Other members of the committee include 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.
The committee is expected to produce the legal framework that will guide the implementation and operation of state police once the constitutional amendment takes effect.
