Tinubu to review state police bill Sept 3

President Bola Tinubu is set to review the Executive National Policing Bill on September 3, marking a significant step in Nigeria's ongoing debate about police reform. The Presidency unveiled a public information portal Monday, inviting Nigerians to submit memoranda and position papers to influence the legislation before its review and transmission to the National Assembly.

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The resulting Executive Bill package is scheduled for presentation to the President on the 3rd of September.

Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, detailed the process after a meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. The approved work program spans seven weeks, from July 27 to September 14, 2026, culminating in the presentation of the Executive Bill package to the President. "Subject to his approval, and I think we have tweaked that so the national consultation will come before the President’s final approval, after which the text and supporting materials will be revised and prepared for formal transmission to the National Assembly," Gbajabiamila explained.

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This is a monumental reform that Nigerians have debated for many years.

Gbajabiamila emphasized that the reform aims to design a "lawful, professional and sustainable federal and state policing system that places greater capability closer to the people while preserving national standards, national security and the rights of every Nigerian." He clarified the distinction between the constitutional amendment, already passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, and the operational legislation his group is developing. The constitutional amendment requires approval from state Houses of Assembly to become effective, meaning no operational state police currently exist in Nigeria.

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Our central task now is to design a lawful, professional and sustainable federal and state policing system that places greater capability closer to the people while preserving national standards, national security and the rights of every Nigerian.

Guiding the reform, Gbajabiamila stressed that state policing must not become a tool for political control. "State Police cannot mean 36 state militias, just as national standards cannot become a disguised method of re-centralising day-to-day state policing," he stated. The goal is to ensure that policing capabilities are enhanced at the state level without compromising national security or individual rights, and preventing the misuse of police power for political retribution.

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State Police cannot mean 36 state militias, just as national standards cannot become a disguised method of re-centralising day-to-day state policing.