By Tunji Braimoh, Abuja

The Presidency has announced that public submissions on the proposed National Policing Bill will close today, August 13, 2026, urging Nigerians to contribute their views on the planned establishment of state police services. Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the consultation was designed to incorporate citizens’ experiences and professional expertise into the proposed legislation.

Gbajabiamila explained that the feedback received would help address critical issues such as political interference, police accountability, oversight mechanisms, misconduct investigations, and intelligence-sharing between federal and state police formations. He stressed that while public input is important, the National Assembly would retain its constitutional responsibility to scrutinise, amend, approve, or reject the bill when it is formally presented.

According to him, the proposed state police framework seeks to balance effective local policing with strong safeguards against abuse. He noted that concerns about governors using state police against political opponents, journalists, protesters, or minority groups are legitimate and must be addressed through robust legal protections. He added that the law must make political interference difficult, strengthen accountability, and ensure respect for constitutional rights and the rule of law.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives argued that state police could improve security by bringing law enforcement closer to communities. Officers familiar with local languages, terrain, and crime patterns, he said, would be better positioned to gather intelligence and respond swiftly to security threats. However, he maintained that such benefits must be accompanied by credible oversight systems, proper recruitment standards, professional training, and effective disciplinary procedures.

Gbajabiamila further clarified that the creation of state police requires constitutional amendments because Section 214 of the Constitution currently recognises only the Nigeria Police Force. Although both chambers of the National Assembly have approved proposed amendments providing for Federal and State Police Services, the process remains incomplete. The amendments must still secure approval from at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before being transmitted to the President for assent.

He disclosed that the Presidential Working Group is simultaneously preparing the National Policing Bill, which will establish national standards for recruitment, training, remuneration, pensions, intelligence-sharing, professional conduct, complaints handling, and independent oversight. Gbajabiamila emphasised that even if the constitutional amendment and the bill become law, individual states would still need to enact enabling legislation, establish institutions, provide funding, and meet national requirements before launching their own police services. States that choose not to establish such services would continue to be policed by the Nigeria Police Force.