Tinubu, represented by his Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, inaugurated the committee Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The working group is tasked with producing a technically sound, implementation-ready draft bill to be sent to the National Assembly once constitutional changes are finalized.
The constitutional amendment passed earlier this year establishes a framework for dual policing: a Federal Police Service alongside 36 State Police Services. However, Tinubu emphasized that the amendment alone does not operationalize the system. The National Policing Bill will provide the legal structure, including minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability mechanisms, human rights safeguards, and fiscal conditions.
Members of the working group include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, and the NGF Committee on State Police. Gbajabiamila will serve as chairman.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, speaking for the Governors’ Forum, pledged support for swift implementation. He said all 36 governors would work to ensure their state assemblies pass the amendment quickly, describing the reform as a response to Nigerians’ long-standing demand for community-based policing.
The push for state police comes amid rising insecurity in Nigeria, where federal forces have struggled to contain banditry, insurgency, and violent crime. Advocates argue that decentralizing policing will allow states to tailor security responses to local needs. Critics, however, warn of potential misuse by state governments and stress the need for strong accountability measures.
International observers note that Nigeria’s reform could serve as a model for other African nations grappling with centralized policing systems. The United Nations and human rights groups are expected to closely monitor the bill’s provisions, particularly safeguards against abuse.
The initiative marks one of Tinubu’s most ambitious security reforms since taking office, with implications for governance, civil liberties, and Nigeria’s stability. If successful, the National Policing Bill could reshape how law enforcement operates in Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy.
