President Bola Tinubu has appointed his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, as chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, a committee established to develop the legal framework for implementing state police nationwide. The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Committee to drive state police implementation
Represented at the inauguration by Gbajabiamila, President Tinubu explained that while the ongoing constitutional amendment process provides the foundation for state policing, a separate National Policing Bill is required to operationalise the system.
He said:
“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.”
Bill to define policing standards
According to the President, the proposed legislation will address several key areas necessary for the successful implementation of state police.
These include:
- Minimum policing standards
- State readiness certification
- Federal and state coordination
- Accountability mechanisms
- Human rights safeguards
- Fiscal conditions
- Personnel transition
Tinubu said:
“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.”
Draft bill to be ready before constitutional process ends
The President urged the committee not to wait until the constitutional amendment process is completed before beginning its assignment.
He said the working group has been established to prepare an implementation-ready draft bill that can be transmitted to the National Assembly immediately after the constitutional changes are finalised.
“The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly.”
He added:
“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment.”
The committee will also recommend any additional legal instruments needed to ensure the smooth implementation of Nigeria’s proposed dual policing system.
Committee membership
The Presidential Working Group comprises key government officials and stakeholders, including:
- Femi Gbajabiamila – Chairman and Chief of Staff to the President
- Attorney-General of the Federation
- National Security Adviser
- Inspector-General of Police
- President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
- Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF)
- Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police
- The committee’s Secretariat
The development comes as Nigeria moves closer to establishing state police, following the Senate’s approval of the constitutional amendment bill. The proposal must still receive the backing of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before it can be signed into law by the President.
