The proposed National Policing Bill is reportedly 90 per cent ready for submission to the National Assembly, according to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
Gbajabiamila made the disclosure after a steering committee meeting in Abuja on Thursday, October 15, as discussions continue over the proposed establishment of state police across Nigeria.
The bill is expected to provide a framework for how state police services would operate, including recruitment, training, funding and oversight. Supporters argue that allowing states to establish their own police services could improve responses to security threats by bringing law enforcement closer to local communities.
However, the proposal still faces important legislative and constitutional hurdles. As of Thursday, only five of Nigeria’s 36 State Houses of Assembly had reportedly approved the constitutional amendment required to establish state police, while the remaining states had yet to communicate their positions.
The debate comes amid persistent concerns about kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges in different parts of the country. Advocates of state policing believe local forces could improve intelligence gathering and help communities respond more quickly to criminal activity.
Nevertheless, questions remain about funding, political independence, accountability and the possibility of state governments misusing local police forces against political opponents.
The bill’s progress represents a significant step in the ongoing debate over police reform, but state police cannot begin operating nationwide simply because the draft is nearing completion. Further legislative and constitutional processes will be necessary before the proposed system can become operational.
