ABUJA, Nigeria — The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has submitted a draft bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria, alongside 29 consequential amendment bills, to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative review and validation.
The submission was made on October 19, 2026, to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, in line with the group’s work plan, Channels Television reports.
The Ministry of Justice is expected to review the bills to ensure compliance with legislative drafting standards and conventions and prevent conflicts with existing laws.
Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed that the ministry is expected to return the validated bills to the group on or before October 30, 2026, for final consideration before their presentation to President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila said the submission marked the completion of the drafting stage of the group’s assignment.
“The Ministry of Justice is expected to return the validated draft bills to the Working Group on or before Friday, 30th October 2026. The Working Group will then give the validated bills final consideration before presenting them to Mr President, thereby concluding its mandate,” he said.
The proposed National Policing Bill seeks to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The proposal represents a major step in the ongoing debate over decentralising policing in Nigeria, where the Nigeria Police Force currently operates as a centrally organised federal institution.
Advocates of state police have argued that decentralisation could improve local intelligence gathering, responsiveness to security threats and police accountability at the state level. However, the proposal has also raised concerns about possible political interference, particularly the potential use of state police by governors against political opponents and critics.
Gbajabiamila said the working group remained committed to a rigorous and transparent process aimed at producing a comprehensive legislative proposal for consideration by the President and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
He added that the preparation of the National Policing Bill was proceeding alongside the ongoing consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, by the State Houses of Assembly.
According to him, the constitutional amendment process must be completed before the bill can be transmitted to the National Assembly.
The submission to the Ministry of Justice therefore marks an important stage in the process, but it does not mean that state police have been established or that the proposed legislation has become law.
The draft bills must undergo the prescribed review and approval processes before the President can transmit the relevant proposals to the National Assembly for legislative consideration.
