Presidency to submit national policing bill within two weeks
The Presidency has said the National Policing Bill is 90% ready and could be transmitted to the National Assembly within two weeks as the Federal Government moves to advance reforms aimed at strengthening policing in Nigeria.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday after a meeting of the Presidential Working Group’s steering committee at the State House, Abuja.
Gbajabiamila, who chairs the working group, said consultations were nearing completion, with only a few outstanding issues requiring further consideration.
“The National Policing Bill is more or less ready 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% ready,” he said.
“The governors have one or two observations, and we should be ready in about a week or so.”
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Gbajabiamila described the proposed legislation as “the most consequential Bill of the administration so far”.
He said the working group had undertaken extensive consultations and deliberations since its steering committee began meetings on 3 August.
Addressing concerns over the slow progress of the Sixth Constitution Alteration Bill on state policing, Gbajabiamila expressed confidence that the proposed constitutional amendments would receive the necessary support.
Reports indicate that only about six states have passed the amendment, raising questions about the willingness of other states to endorse the proposed policing reforms.
However, Gbajabiamila maintained that there was a national consensus on the need to reform Nigeria’s policing structure.
“I see no reason why anyone will want to have a rethink on it,” he said.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; and Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu.
Other participants included representatives of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Bar Association and the National Security Adviser, alongside senior government officials involved in the policing reform process.
The proposed legislation forms part of ongoing efforts to restructure Nigeria’s policing system amid persistent security challenges and growing demands for state policing.