State Police Reform: FG Invites Nigerians to Submit Policy Proposals as Draft Bill Nears September Deadline

The Presidential Working Group on State Policing has opened a two-week public submission window for memoranda and policy proposals, setting the stage for a landmark legal framework that could redefine security architecture across Nigeria.

The Federal Government has officially called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, civil society organisations, security agencies, academics, professional bodies, and sub-national governments to contribute to the drafting of the proposed National Policing Bill, which seeks to establish a legal and operational framework for state police in Nigeria. The call was made public on Monday by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, following a high-level meeting at the State House, Abuja. The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, who confirmed that all submissions will be reviewed and integrated into the draft bill, which will then be subject to further national consultation before being finalised and sent to the National Assembly. The development comes weeks after the National Assembly passed the bill following its transmission by President Bola Tinubu, signalling strong political will to actualise one of the most debated governance reforms in Nigeria’s recent history.

This public consultation exercise is critical because the Working Group is currently reviewing the Police Act 2020, the Police Service Commission framework, police regulations, and other relevant laws to develop a modern, effective, and accountable policing system. The proposed framework is expected to set national minimum standards for policing across all states, define state readiness and certification requirements before any state can operate its own police service, and clarify jurisdictional responsibilities between federal and state police forces. Additionally, the bill will ensure independent oversight and safeguard human rights, guarantee sustainable funding and financial accountability, and prevent the use of state police as a tool for political persecution – a concern earlier raised by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, who stressed that the legislation is designed to protect citizens from potential abuses of power at the sub-national level.

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Nigerians have until August 13, 2026, to submit their memoranda and policy proposals through the dedicated portal at www.nationalpolicingbill.com, marking the close of a two-week submission window. The Presidential Working Group has adopted a seven-week, milestone-driven work programme running from July 27 to September 14, 2026, with the draft Executive Bill scheduled for presentation to President Bola Tinubu on September 3, 2026. Following this, national consultations will be held on the completed draft before it is finalised and transmitted to the National Assembly. All Nigerians, including professionals, academics, security experts, state and local governments, and civil society groups, are encouraged to participate in this historic policy-shaping process.

The new policing framework will impose strict operational readiness requirements on any state seeking to establish its own police service. According to Gbajabiamila, a proposed State Police Service must demonstrate credible arrangements in recruitment and vetting processes, training and capacity development, pay, pensions and welfare, equipment and logistics, custody and detention standards, complaints and discipline mechanisms, data management and reporting, firearms control and regulation, independent oversight bodies, and financial sustainability plans before it begins policing. These stringent criteria are designed to ensure that only states with the institutional capacity and financial resilience can operate their own police forces, thereby preventing a patchwork of poorly equipped or unaccountable state-level security services.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, represented by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, has described the state police initiative as one of the defining reforms of President Tinubu’s administration, expressing the forum’s commitment to ensuring the success of the policy. The Working Group is also considering recommending federal grants to assist states with limited financial capacity in establishing their police services, acknowledging the fiscal disparities among the 36 states. States that are not yet ready to establish their own service will continue to rely on the Nigeria Police Force until they meet the required standards, ensuring that no state is left without adequate security coverage during the transition period.

The final submission to the President will go beyond a conventional bill and is expected to include schedules and explanatory memoranda, a legal audit of existing policing laws, a state readiness framework, a fiscal and implementation note, and a risk register with transition arrangements. This comprehensive approach is designed to ensure that the reform is defensible, auditable, and capable of implementation across Nigeria’s diverse states, addressing everything from constitutional alignment to practical logistics on the ground.

The government has emphasised that this is a people-driven process, and by inviting input from all segments of society – including ordinary citizens, diaspora communities, and professional bodies – the Working Group aims to build a policing system that reflects the aspirations and realities of all Nigerians. As a senior official close to the Working Group noted, this is not just a government bill but a national project in which every Nigerian has a stake in how they are policed. Interested individuals and organisations are encouraged to visit www.nationalpolicingbill.com before August 13, 2026, to submit their memoranda and policy proposals, with all submissions to be reviewed and incorporated into the draft bill ahead of further national consultations.

State Police Reform: FG Invites Nigerians to Submit Policy Proposals as Draft Bill Nears September Deadline