The quest by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to put in place a state policing structure in the country went a step further on Tuesday, as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill made progress in that direction.
The group revealed that it had forwarded the draft amendments on National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation for legislative drafting review and validation.
Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, who made this known in a statement, said the group had completed the drafting stage of its assignment.
According to him, the draft bill was submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice on Monday.
He said, “The submission was made on October 19, 2026, to the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, in line with the Working Group’s work plan.
“The ministry’s review will ensure that the bills conform to legislative drafting standards and conventions, and that they do not conflict with existing laws.
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“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.”
Gbajabiamila said the proposed National Policing Bill seeks to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure, made up of a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
He added that the Working Group remained committed to “a rigorous and transparent process” that would deliver a comprehensive legislative proposal for the President’s consideration and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
According to the former legislator, the work was proceeding alongside the ongoing consideration of the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 by the State Houses of Assembly, which “must be completed before the Bill is transmitted to the National Assembly”.
On October 15, Gbajabiamila told State House correspondents that the policing bill was “90 per cent ready” and would be transmitted to the National Assembly on October 29.
The Senate passed the bill on June 24, after which it was also passed by the House of Representatives.
Afterwards, the National Assembly sent it to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, where it must be approved by at least 24 state assemblies.
Tinubu inaugurated the seven-member Presidential Working Group on July 7, with its steering committee starting work on August 3.
He mandated it to produce a “technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill.’’
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