Presidential working group submits the National Policing Bill, 2026, alongside 29 amendment bills, with the Justice Ministry expected to complete its review by October 30.
By Wapcodehub9ja LIVE News Desk
Nigeria’s proposed transition to a dual policing structure has reached a new stage after the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill submitted its draft legislation and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Federal Ministry of Justice for review and validation.
The submission was made on October 19, 2026, to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, according to a statement issued by the Presidency.
The proposed National Policing Bill, 2026, is designed to establish the legal and operational framework for a policing system comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The draft legislation is intended to provide the structure needed to implement the proposed state police system, including the relationship between federal and state policing institutions.
Justice Ministry sets review deadline
The Federal Ministry of Justice is expected to return the reviewed and validated draft bills to the working group on or before Friday, October 30, 2026.
The review will assess whether the proposed legislation complies with legislative drafting standards and conventions and whether its provisions conflict with existing laws.
Following the ministry’s review, the working group will give the bills further consideration before presenting them to President Bola Tinubu. The proposed legislation would subsequently be transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and chairman of the Presidential Working Group, said the group remained committed to a rigorous and transparent process aimed at producing a comprehensive legislative proposal.
The submission marks the completion of the drafting stage of the working group’s assignment, but it does not mean the proposed policing framework has become law.
Constitutional changes remain important
The preparation of the National Policing Bill is proceeding alongside the constitutional amendment process concerning the establishment of state police.
The proposed Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the existing constitutional framework to accommodate a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The Presidency has said consideration of the constitutional amendment by state Houses of Assembly must be completed before the bill proceeds to the National Assembly for the next stage of the process.
The distinction is important because the constitutional amendment would provide the foundation for the proposed dual policing arrangement, while the National Policing Bill is intended to establish the legislation required for its implementation.
The proposed framework is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to establish the legal basis for state-level policing alongside federal policing responsibilities.
What happens next?
The immediate next step is the Justice Ministry’s review of the draft bill and the accompanying amendment proposals. The working group is then expected to consider the validated documents before submitting them to the President.
The proposed system will still require the relevant constitutional and legislative processes to be completed before it can be implemented.
Until those steps are concluded, the Federal Government’s proposed dual policing structure remains a legislative initiative rather than an operational replacement for Nigeria’s existing police arrangement.
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