President Bola Tinubu is expected to receive the proposed National Policing Bill on September 3, 2026, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to establish a state policing system in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that is part of the process, the Presidency has launched a public website to allow Nigerians submit recommendations and opinions before the executive bill is transmitted to the National Assembly.
Speaking after a meeting of the Presidential Working Group at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the drafting process would span seven weeks, from July 27 to September 14.
He disclosed that the executive bill package would be presented 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 public consultations would be concluded before the President grants final approval, after which the proposed legislation would be prepared for submission to the National Assembly.
Describing the initiative as a landmark reform, Gbajabiamila said the proposed legislation seeks to reshape Nigeria’s policing architecture after years of national debate.
“This is a monumental reform that Nigerians have debated for many years,” he said.
According to him, the objective is to establish “a lawful, professional and sustainable federal and state policing system” that enhances community-based security while safeguarding national security and the constitutional rights of citizens.
Gbajabiamila, however, noted that the constitutional amendment process required to establish state police has not yet been completed.
Although both chambers of the National Assembly have approved the relevant constitutional amendments, they must still be ratified by the required number of State Houses of Assembly before becoming law. Until then, the Nigeria Police Force remains the country’s only constitutionally recognised police agency.
He also stressed that adequate safeguards would be built into the proposed framework to prevent abuse of state police by political 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.
Gbajabiamila added that any federal intervention in state policing should occur only under exceptional circumstances and must be evidence-based, proportionate and subject to review.
The Presidency also unveiled nationalpolicingbill.com, a public consultation portal where Nigerians can submit memoranda and recommendations for approximately two weeks, with the possibility of extending the submission period.
Responding to questions about the cost of implementing state policing, Gbajabiamila said it was premature to provide an estimate.
“There is no cost that will be too much to secure lives and property,” he said, adding that the eventual cost would depend on detailed assessments and the specific security needs of individual states.
He further explained that while national policing standards would establish minimum operational requirements across the country, states with greater resources and capacity would be permitted to implement higher standards where necessary.
