The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill said it has started reviewing memoranda and position papers submitted by Nigerians as part of the plan to incorporate public input into the proposed legislation. The submissions, received during a nationwide consultation, are being analysed alongside the ongoing drafting of the bill, according to a statement issued Thursday evening by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and chairperson of the working group.
The consultation has attracted contributions from institutions, professional bodies, civil society organisations, security experts and members of the public. The review is being conducted simultaneously as legal drafters nominated by the Federal Ministry of Justice begin the first drafting sprint under the working group’s seven-week workplan. The Policy Advisory Committee, chaired by a retired judge, Mohammed Liman, has also completed the first stage of its oversight role and provided policy direction for the drafting process.
The proposed National Policing Bill is expected to provide the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services. The National Assembly has passed the constitutional amendment bill for state police. While the Senate passed its version in June, the House passed it in July. The ongoing review indicates that President Tinubu intends to send a fresh bill to the lawmakers.
The framework is also expected to include institutional safeguards, accountability mechanisms and oversight arrangements for the proposed policing structure. The working group will continue with the next phase of drafting after the consultation window closes, with the aim of producing a comprehensive proposal for consideration by the president and eventual transmission to the National Assembly.
The winners: Nigerians who have contributed to the consultation, whose voices will shape the final bill; and the Tinubu administration, which is moving forward with a key security reform. The losers: those who oppose state police, who face an uphill battle against the growing consensus for reform; and the Nigeria Police Force, which will lose its monopoly on policing.
Bottom Line: The state police bill is taking shape. Public input is being reviewed. The question is whether the final legislation will strike the right balance between local control and national standards.