Gbajabiamila: Nigeria State Police Bill 90% Complete, NASS-Bound

• The National Policing Bill is 90% complete and expected to be transmitted to the National Assembly within two weeks.
• Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila provided this update after a meeting of the Presidential Working Group, which he chairs.
• The bill will establish an operational framework for recruitment, training, funding, oversight, and cooperation between federal and state police services.
• Gbajabiamila expressed confidence in state support for the constitutional amendment to establish state police, despite only four states (Edo, Oyo, Osun, and Rivers) having approved the alteration bill so far.
• The Presidential Working Group, inaugurated in July, considers this "the most consequential bill of the administration so far."

This proposed National Policing Bill is designed to establish a comprehensive operational framework for law enforcement across Nigeria.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, recently announced a significant Nigeria state police bill Gbajabiamila update, indicating that the National Policing Bill is approximately 90 percent complete. This crucial legislative piece is now poised for transmission to the National Assembly within the coming weeks. The announcement followed a steering committee meeting of the Presidential Working Group, which Gbajabiamila chairs, held at the State House in Abuja.

According to a statement released on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Chief of Staff indicated that the committee anticipates needing just one more meeting to resolve any outstanding details. Following this final deliberation, the bill is expected to be forwarded to federal lawmakers within a two-week timeframe. Gbajabiamila noted that while the governors have raised a couple of observations, these are expected to be addressed swiftly, with full readiness projected within approximately one week.

This proposed National Policing Bill is designed to establish a comprehensive operational framework for law enforcement across Nigeria. Its provisions will govern critical aspects such as the recruitment processes for police personnel, their training protocols, funding mechanisms for police services, and the oversight structures ensuring accountability. Furthermore, the legislation aims to define the parameters for cooperation between federal and state police services, a vital component for a harmonized security architecture.

The Presidential Working Group, inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu in July, has been diligently developing this legal framework for state police. The steering committee, which has been engaged in deliberations since August 3, views this legislation as "the most consequential bill of the administration so far." This initiative runs in parallel with efforts to amend the constitution to formally establish state police services, a constitutional alteration bill that the National Assembly has already transmitted to all 36 state Houses of Assembly for their consideration.

Despite reports indicating that only four states (Edo, Oyo, Osun, and Rivers) have so far approved the Sixth Constitution Alteration Bill, which is necessary for the establishment of state police, Gbajabiamila expressed strong confidence in broader state support. He articulated that he perceives "no reason why anyone will want to have a rethink on it," suggesting a prevailing "national consensus" regarding the necessity of these constitutional amendments. This sentiment underscores the administration's commitment to advancing the Femi Gbajabiamila state police legislation, which is a key part of the National Policing Bill Nigeria progress.

The recent steering committee meeting saw the participation of several key figures, highlighting the collaborative effort behind this reform. Attendees included AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor; Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun; Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani; and Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu. Other notable participants were Beatrice Jedy-Agba, representing the Attorney-General of the Federation; Justice Abdullahi Liman (retd.), Chairman of the Policy Advisory Committee; Professor Olu Ogunsakin, Head of the Nigeria Police Reform Secretariat; and Dr Lanre Smart, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters. Representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Security Adviser, and the committee's secretary, Nnadubem Moghalu, also contributed to the discussions, emphasizing the broad stakeholder engagement in this Nigeria police reform bill, which seeks to define the Federal and state police operational framework.

Lawyers and compliance officers in Nigeria should closely monitor the imminent transmission and passage of the National Policing Bill. This legislation will fundamentally reshape law enforcement structures, affecting criminal procedure, corporate security protocols, and compliance requirements related to police interactions and oversight. Understanding its provisions on recruitment, funding, and inter-service cooperation will be crucial for advising clients on new legal landscapes.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH.