By Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo
ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a major step toward the establishment of state police in Nigeria by inaugurating a Presidential Working Group to prepare the National Policing Bill, the legislation expected to provide the legal framework for the implementation of a dual policing system across the country.
The inauguration, held on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, marks the beginning of the legal and institutional process for operationalising state police following the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, by the National Assembly.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, President Tinubu said while the constitutional amendment lays the foundation for the creation of state police, a comprehensive National Policing Bill is required to establish the legal and operational structures that will govern the new policing architecture.
According to the President, the Constitution Amendment Bill merely creates the framework for a dual policing system comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services, but does not provide the legal mechanisms for implementation.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He explained that the proposed legislation would contain provisions on minimum policing standards, certification of state readiness, federal-state coordination, accountability mechanisms, human rights protections and fiscal responsibilities.
The President said the committee had been constituted to produce a technically sound and implementation-ready draft bill for transmission to the National Assembly immediately after the constitutional amendment process is completed.
“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,” he said, stressing that early preparation would prevent unnecessary delays in implementing the landmark reform.
Gbajabiamila will chair the committee, which comprises key stakeholders including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe; 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 secretariat has also been established to provide administrative support.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun pledged the full support of state governors for the implementation of the reform.
He disclosed that governors were already preparing to facilitate speedy consideration and passage of the constitutional amendment by their respective State Houses of Assembly once transmitted.
Abiodun described the proposed state police system as a response to Nigerians’ longstanding demand for community-based policing and a more decentralised security structure.
“This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List,” he said.
The governor noted that the initiative also validated the effectiveness of regional security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West, which he said had demonstrated the benefits of locally driven security arrangements.
He further projected that the establishment of state police would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s security manpower.
“If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police,” Abiodun said.
He commended President Tinubu for initiating implementation plans before the constitutional amendment process had been concluded, describing the move as evidence of proactive governance.
“This inauguration demonstrates the proactiveness of the Executive in preparing for effective implementation,” he added.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, described the initiative as timely, considering the country's prevailing security challenges.
“There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck,” he said.
Fagbemi urged state governors to ensure the swift ratification of the constitutional amendment by their respective State Houses of Assembly, describing the reform as a collective national responsibility.
“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.
Also lending support to the initiative, NBA President Afam Osigwe said Nigeria's growing security demands had made a strong case for decentralised policing.
“Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police,” he said.
However, Osigwe cautioned that adequate legal safeguards must be incorporated into the proposed legislation to prevent abuse of state police by political authorities.
“We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression,” he warned.
He assured the committee of the NBA’s commitment to contributing its legal expertise towards developing legislation that would strengthen security while protecting citizens’ constitutional rights.
The inauguration was attended by Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Justice from Plateau, Lagos and Ondo states, representatives of the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser, as well as other senior government officials.
The move represents one of the most significant reforms of Nigeria’s policing system since independence. If successfully completed and ratified by the required number of state legislatures, the constitutional amendment and the accompanying National Policing Bill are expected to usher in a new era of decentralised policing aimed at improving internal security, enhancing community policing and strengthening coordination between federal and state law enforcement agencies.
