Tinubu Launches Group to Work on New Policing Law

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday launched the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill. This group will create the legal framework to start state police across Nigeria.

The event happened at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The President's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, represented him at the inauguration.

This move comes after the National Assembly introduced the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026. This bill suggests a dual policing system with the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.

President Tinubu explained that the amendment sets up the framework for state police. But the National Policing Bill is necessary to make it work.

"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," he said.

The President added that the new law will cover important needs for state police to work well. This includes minimum standards, state readiness certification, federal-state cooperation, accountability, human rights protection, and financial conditions.

He mentioned that the Working Group is set up to make sure Nigeria is ready to act as soon as the constitutional amendment process is done.

"The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically sound, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly," Mr Tinubu said. "We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment."

Gbajabiamila will lead the committee. Other members include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police. A dedicated secretariat will support their work.

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, who stood in for the governors, promised their support for quick action on the reform. He said the governors want to speed up the bill’s progress as soon as it gets to their state assemblies.

Mr Abiodun described the move as a response to the long-held demand for community-based policing. He noted that it effectively takes policing out of the Exclusive Legislative List. He added that this initiative shows the success of regional security outfits like Amotekun in the South-west.

On the scale of the project, Governor Abiodun mentioned, "If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police."

He praised President Tinubu for planning to implement the changes even before the constitutional amendment is finished.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), highlighted the need for speed in this initiative because of Nigeria’s security situation. "There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck," he said.

Mr Fagbemi called on governors to quickly ratify the constitutional amendment in their state assemblies. "I appeal to the governors to do their utmost to ensure the early passage of the constitutional amendment because this is a shared responsibility," he said.

President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, confirmed the association’s support for this plan. But he stressed that legal protections are needed to stop abuse.

"Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police," Mr Osigwe said. But he warned, "We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression."

He promised that the NBA will help the committee create a law that balances security needs with protecting citizens’ rights.

Also at the inauguration were the Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Justice of Plateau, Lagos, and Ondo States. Representatives of the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser, and other senior government officials were also present.