Nigeria opens public consultation on National Policing Bill

The Nigerian government has launched a public consultation on a landmark bill to establish a legal framework for state police, aiming to create a dual policing system alongside the federal force. The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, chaired by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, announced the initiative on Monday, August 3, 2026, following a meeting at the State House in Abuja. The group has opened a two-week window for citizens, professional bodies, civil society, and other stakeholders to submit memoranda and policy proposals to shape the legislation.

The proposed National Policing Bill is intended to provide the operational details for implementing a constitutional amendment that has already passed, which provides the foundational architecture for federal and state policing. According to officials, the bill will set national minimum standards, define requirements for state readiness and certification, clarify jurisdictional responsibilities, ensure independent oversight, uphold human rights, and guarantee sustainable funding. It also aims to manage the transition to the new dual-policing structure. A senior presidential aide, Nnadubem Moghalu,...