• Expected again from justice ministry by October 30 for onward transmission to president
•Submitted together with 29 consequential modification payments
• Delta approves modification for state police, to jot down National Assembly
Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
The presidency, yesterday, disclosed that the draft of the 2026 National Policing Bill was prepared.
Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, made the disclosure, in a launch.
Gbajabiamila stated the group had accomplished the drafting stage of its task and had formally submitted the invoice, along with 29 consequential modification payments, to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting assessment and validation.
He stated the submission to Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, came about on Monday, October, 19, in keeping with the working group’s work plan.
The chief of workers defined that the ministry’s assessment would be certain that the payments conformed to legislative drafting requirements and conventions, and didn’t battle with current legal guidelines.
He stated the Ministry of Justice was anticipated to return the validated draft payments to the working group on or earlier than Friday, October 30 for last consideration earlier than their presentation to President Bola Tinubu, which might mark the conclusion of the group’s mandate.
Gbajabiamila stated, “The proposed National Policing Bill seeks to determine the constitutional and legislative framework for a twin policing construction, comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
“The Working Group stays dedicated to a rigorous and clear course of that may ship a complete legislative proposal for consideration by the president and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
“The work on preparing the National Policing Bill is proceeding alongside the ongoing consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 by the States Houses of Assembly, which must be completed before the bill is transmitted to the National Assembly.”
The presidency had final Thursday hinted that the National Policing Bill could be transmitted to the National Assembly inside two weeks.
Gbajabiamila instructed newsmen after the steering committee’s assembly at State House, Abuja, “The National Policing Bill is kind of prepared for transmission to the National Assembly.
“We will probably have one more meeting after this to cross the t’s and dot the i’s and make sure every area is covered. So, we are 90 per cent ready. The governors have one or two observations, and we should be ready in about a week or so.”
He described the invoice as “the most consequential bill of the administration so far”, including that it has undergone strenuous workout routines in the previous few weeks for the reason that working group’s steering committee started deliberations on August 3.
Commenting on the likelihood of the states dragging their toes on the passage of the Sixth Constitution Alteration Bill (State Police), particularly in opposition to the backdrop of the data that solely about six states had handed the modification, out of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gbajabiamila affirmed that there was a “national consensus” amongst Nigerians on the necessity for the amendments.
“I see no reason why anyone will want to have a rethink on it,” he stated.
Members of the committee current at Thursday’s assembly held on the convention corridor of the Chief of Staff Office at State House, Abuja, included Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State; Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu; and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, represented by Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba.
Others have been Chairman, Policy Advisory Committee, Justice Abdullahi Liman (rtd); Head, Nigeria Police Reform Secretariat, Professor Olu Ogunsakin; Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Dr. Lanre Smart; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Planning and Research, who additionally doubles as Secretary of the Committee, Nnadubem Moghalu; the consultant of President of Nigerian Bar Association; and Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Abraham Nabhon Thomas, representing the National Security Adviser, amongst others.
Tinubu had on July 7 inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to organize the authorized framework for the implementation of state police throughout the nation.
The working group’s inauguration adopted National Assembly’s passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, through which the president proposed a twin policing construction comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.
Tinubu had acknowledged that whereas the constitutional modification created the framework for state police, the National Policing Bill would supply the authorized construction for its implementation.
He stated, “The Constitution Amendment Bill establishes the framework for dual policing, but it does not operationalise it. That work is left to the National Policing Bill.”
According to him, the proposed laws would tackle points mandatory for a easy operationalisation of the state police system.
Tinubu acknowledged, “The proposed National Policing Bill will include provisions on minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and fiscal conditions.”
The president stated the committee would produce an implementation-ready draft invoice instantly after the constitutional modification course of.
“The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly,” Tinubu stated.
He stated the committee was essential to keep away from delay after the State Police invoice was handed.
“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,” he stated.
Delta Approves State Police Amendment
Delta State House of Assembly, yesterday, accredited the Sixth Alteration Bill of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to provide legislative muscle to the proposed State Police Services within the nation.
The approval adopted deliberation on a letter from the National Assembly in search of the consideration and concurrence of the 36 States Houses of Assembly within the ongoing constitutional modification course of.
Speaker, Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, learn the letter on the ground of the Assembly, outlining the target of the invoice, which sought to offer a constitutional framework for the institution of State Police Services whereas preserving the Nigeria Police Force because the Federal Police Service.
Majority Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, stated the proposed modification aimed to ensure safety of life and property via a twin policing system, permitting states to determine and fund their very own police providers to handle rising instances of insecurity, significantly on the native degree.
The lawmakers usually agreed that the invoice would strengthen native intelligence gathering, enhance response to safety challenges, create employment alternatives, and assist deal with insecurity on the grassroots extra successfully.
Support for the invoice was unanimous, with all 23 members current at plenary affirming their help.
While commending the members for his or her patriotism and overwhelming help for the invoice, Guwor acknowledged that the institution of State Police would guarantee a safer surroundings and engender the specified growth of Delta State.
He acknowledged, “Distinguished colleagues, I commend you for approving the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, in keeping with Section 9 sub-section (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).
“This is a major step in the direction of the institution of State Police in Nigeria. It brings us nearer to a policing system that’s extra aware of our communities, improves intelligence gathering, and strengthens our capability to deal with safety challenges.
“For Delta State, this reform holds great promise for protecting lives and property, sustaining peace and creating a safer environment for investment and development in line with the M.O.R.E Agenda of our amiable Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori.”
The speaker thereafter directed Clerk of the House, Mr. Otto Aghoghophia, to speak the decision of the Delta State House of Assembly to the National Assembly appropriately.
Earlier, the legislators noticed one-minute silence in honour of former governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, who died on Monday, October 19, three days to his 72nd birthday.
