• Sharia Council warns against rushed amendment
• Govs back draft ahead of Sept presentation to Tinubu
• Gbajabiamila: No price too high for Nigerians’ security
• Abuse will be checked, AGF assures

Notwithstanding the hurried steps by the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to present the Executive Bill package to President Bola Tinubu on September 3, 2026, Nigeria’s security index presents a grim report of escalating bloodletting and killings across the country.

A new report released by SBM Intelligence yesterday reported 5,091 deaths recorded in the second quarter of 2026 in violent incidents involving attacks from terrorists, Boko Haram and armed robbers. From gang clashes and abductions recorded between April and June 2026, Borno State led the pack of affected states with 1,355 deaths of the 5,091 victims, which also saw 304 security personnel killed within the period. Also, in another report by EONS Intelligence, July 2026 recorded 264 deaths in 417 incidents.

Determined to nip the insecurity crisis in the bud ahead of the 2027 general elections, President Tinubu is throwing everything at the silver bullet – the State Police Bill – as a lasting solution to the hydra-headed security challenge in the country. Next month, the President is expected to take the next major step in Nigeria’s proposed policing reforms when the draft national policing bill is scheduled to be presented to him for approval on September 3.

Recall that in July, Tinubu inaugurated the presidential committee to prepare the legal framework for implementing state police across the country. Chairman of the Working Group and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, however, disclosed to newsmen yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after their inaugural meeting that before the Executive Bill is presented to the President, there would be a consultation on the completed draft.

The group has therefore called on the public for memoranda, position papers and practical proposals from various stakeholders. Gbajabiamila said the national consultation will allow Nigerians to engage with the actual clauses, safeguards, funding proposals and transition arrangements.

According to him, “The approved work programme is a seven-week, milestone-driven exercise running from July 27 to September 14, 2026. The resulting Executive Bill package is scheduled for presentation to the President on September 3. Subject to his approval, a national consultation on the completed draft will follow, after which the text and supporting materials will be revised and prepared for formal transmission to the National Assembly. The timetable is demanding, but it is not a shortcut.”

Gbajabiamila also dismissed suggestions that the Federal Government intends to retain control over state policing through the proposed National Policing Bill, explaining that the legislation was designed to provide the legal architecture needed for implementation.

“There is a misconception that what we are doing amounts to the Federal Government micro-managing what should ordinarily be a state responsibility. That is not so. Someone has to ensure that the constitutional amendment is reflected in a workable bill that can be implemented. That is exactly what this Working Group is doing,” he said.

According to him, the bill will address critical issues arising from the transition to a multi-layer policing system, including jurisdiction between federal and state police, funding arrangements, recruitment capacity and consequential amendments to existing laws. He disclosed that the Working Group was also considering recommending federal grants to assist states with start-up funding, particularly those with limited financial capacity.

Gbajabiamila urged Nigerians to engage with the newly launched interactive website to contribute ideas to the legislative process, expressing confidence that the bill would be completed on schedule while constitutional ratification by state Houses of Assembly progressed concurrently.

He reiterated that the Federal Government would not place a speculative price tag on the proposed state police system, insisting that no cost would be considered excessive when it comes to protecting the lives and property of Nigerians, adding that the financial implications of establishing state police would only be determined after a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of the requirements in each state.

ALREADY, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has thrown its weight behind the implementation of state police, declaring that the time had come for Nigeria to embrace a decentralised policing system in line with global best practice. Speaking on behalf of the NGF at the unveiling of the website of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill in the State House, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said there was now an overwhelming national consensus that Nigeria must adopt state police to effectively address its growing security challenges.

Abiodun argued that Nigeria remained an anomaly among federal systems by operating a predominantly unitary policing structure, insisting that virtually every federation across the world had some form of sub-national police.

“I do not know of any federal system anywhere in the world that operates a purely unitary policing structure. Every federal system I know has its own form of state police. Nigeria, with its complexity, makes the case even stronger. In terms of international best practice, the time for state police is long overdue,” the governor said.

The NGF representative also dismissed concerns over the proposed reform, saying the country had reached a point where alternative approaches to policing had become imperative. “I believe that more than at any other time, there is a national consensus on this issue. Most Nigerians now agree that the time has come for state police. You cannot continue doing the same thing repeatedly and expect a different result.

“Even if this were an experiment, which I do not believe it is, it is time for us to explore better ways of securing the lives and property of our citizens, as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he added.

He also called on the media to sustain public enlightenment on the reform, describing state police as a landmark initiative that could redefine Nigeria’s internal security architecture.

HOWEVER, sounding a note of caution, the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has urged President Tinubu, the National Assembly, state governments and other stakeholders not to rush the creation of state police. In a statement, its Secretary General, Nafiu Baba Ahmad, said there should be wider consultations with Nigerians before any constitutional changes on the issue.

The Council said it has been following the ongoing debate on state police and described the proposal as one that could have major effects on justice, national unity and the country’s future. It acknowledged that Nigeria is facing serious security challenges, with many people killed, millions displaced and communities living in fear due to insecurity.

However, the Council said creating state police should not be seen as a quick solution. It argued that the country’s security problems are mainly caused by poor funding, corruption, lack of personnel, poor welfare for security officers, weak intelligence, outdated equipment and poor coordination among security agencies.

According to the Council, these problems will not disappear simply by giving policing powers to state governments. Instead, it called on the government to strengthen existing security agencies through better funding, recruitment, improved intelligence, modern technology, stronger border security, accountability and professionalism.

The Council also expressed concern over what it described as the speed of the constitutional amendment process. It said such an important issue should involve broad public consultations, transparent hearings and national consensus before any final decision is taken. It added that many Nigerians believe the National Assembly has not carried out enough consultations on the proposal.

The Council, however, praised lawmakers who have called for due process and wider consultations, saying they are acting in the national interest. It also warned that any state police system must not become a tool for political intimidation or discrimination.

In a public notice signed by the Secretary of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill and Senior Special Assistant to the President (Planning and Research), Nnadubem Moghalu, submissions are expected from state governments, state houses of assembly, ministries of justice, the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society groups, academic institutions, private-sector organisations and other professionals with expertise in policing, constitutional law and security sector governance.

The committee identified 17 major policy areas requiring public input, including the powers of the proposed National Police Council, federal-state policing relations, operational jurisdiction, police recruitment and personnel transition, funding mechanisms, firearms regulation, human rights safeguards, complaints and disciplinary systems, federal intervention procedures, regulation of vigilante groups, prison infrastructure and amendments to existing security laws.

The Working Group also requested recommendations on measures to prevent abuse of state police powers, preserve operational autonomy for state commands and ensure that federal oversight does not amount to indirect control of state policing institutions.

Speaking on the proposed legislation, Chairman of the Nigeria Police Committee on the Establishment of State Police, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, said the bill would provide the legal and institutional framework needed to operationalise state police in line with the constitutional amendment.  He said extensive stakeholder participation was essential to producing a law capable of strengthening internal security while balancing operational efficiency, accountability and constitutional safeguards.

Ogunsakin added that the quality of the legislation would determine how effectively federal and state police formations coexist, cooperate and discharge their responsibilities under the new policing arrangement.

The committee directed that memoranda and position papers, not exceeding 10 pages and prepared in accordance with the Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities, be submitted electronically through the official portal on or before 5 p.m. on August 13, 2026.

It said every submission would be evaluated and documented in a comments-and-disposition matrix, with recommendations either accepted, modified, deferred or rejected before the drafting of the final National Policing Bill.

The proposed legislation is expected to become the principal legal framework governing Nigeria’s transition to a dual policing system, one of the country’s most significant security reforms since the creation of the Nigeria Police Force.

ALSO speaking, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the proposed legal framework was deliberately designed to ensure that state police would strengthen security without becoming instruments of political intimidation or oppression. He said the minimum operational standards were essential to guarantee professionalism, accountability and continuity of policing services across the federation.

“The primary objective of this bill is to secure lives and property. It is equally important that state police do not become tools for political persecution or oppression. The prescribed standards are intended to ensure that policing in every state conforms with globally recognised best practices.
Citizens must enjoy the same level of protection and benefits irrespective of whether they are served by the Federal Police or a state police service.

“If the system is left without clear standards, it will create room for abuse and undermine public confidence. That is why these safeguards are indispensable,” Fagbemi said.