Tinubu Inaugurates Gbajabiamila-led 7-man Presidential Working Group for Implementation of State Police Nationwide

President Bola Tinubu has launched a seven-man Presidential Working Group tasked with developing a legal framework for the nationwide implementation of state police. The group, inaugurated on Tuesday at the State House in Abuja, is headed by the President's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

This move follows the National Assembly's recent passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026. President Tinubu emphasized that while the constitutional amendment provides the framework, the National Policing Bill is crucial for operationalizing the system. The proposed legislation will address critical aspects such as minimum policing standards, federal-state coordination, accountability, and fiscal conditions.

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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.

The working group comprises influential figures, including the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF), the National Security Adviser, and the Inspector-General of Police. Their mandate is to produce an implementation-ready draft bill for transmission to the National Assembly.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, speaking on behalf of the NGF, pledged the governors' full support for the reform. He highlighted that the proposed state police system is a direct response to the public's persistent calls for community-based policing and a departure from the previous exclusive federal control. The initiative is seen as validating the success of regional security outfits in enhancing local safety.

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This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List.