Gbaja: Policing bill to reach National Assembly within two weeks

The National Policing Bill is a proposed law aimed at changing Nigeria’s policing framework. The article presents it as closely connected to the wider effort to establish state police. Gbajabiamila called it “the most consequential Bill” of the administration so far.

The bill has undergone intensive review since the working group’s steering committee began deliberations on August 3. Its members still need to hold probably one more meeting, cross-check the text, and ensure that every area is covered. The governors have also raised one or two observations.

The group therefore considers the bill about 90% complete. It is not yet before the National Assembly, but the remaining work appears limited to final checks and addressing the governors’ points. Transmission is expected within roughly two weeks, after which lawmakers would consider it.

The Presidential Working Group expects to transmit the National Policing Bill to the National Assembly within the next two weeks. Femi Gbajabiamila gave that timetable after the steering committee meeting at the State House in Abuja.

He said the bill was “more or less ready” and about 90% complete. The group expects to hold one more meeting to check the wording and confirm that all areas are covered. Governors have made one or two observations that must also be considered.

Gbajabiamila’s more precise estimate was that the group should be ready “in about a week or so.” That suggests the bill could move quickly, while the two-week window allows time for final preparation and transmission. The article does not give a specific calendar date for delivery to lawmakers.

The article discusses 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, so 37 jurisdictions are involved in the wider national picture. It reports that only about six states had passed the amendment at the time of the meeting.

That figure does not necessarily mean every one of the 37 jurisdictions must approve the change. Under Nigeria’s constitutional amendment procedure, an amendment generally requires approval from at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly. Two-thirds of 36 states is 24 states. The FCT is not a state assembly jurisdiction.

The article does not state this formal threshold. Its main point is that passage remains limited, while Gbajabiamila believes there is national consensus on the need for the amendments. He said he saw no reason for anyone to rethink the proposal.

The Sixth Constitution Alteration Bill is the constitutional amendment linked to establishing state police in Nigeria. The article identifies it directly as “State Police” and discusses whether state assemblies might delay approving it.

Its connection is foundational. A constitutional alteration would provide the legal framework needed for the proposed change in policing authority. The National Policing Bill is a related legislative proposal, but the article treats the constitutional amendment as a separate step that states must approve.

The amendment had reportedly been passed by only about six states out of the 36 states and the FCT when Gbajabiamila spoke. He nevertheless said Nigerians had reached a national consensus about the need for the amendments. The article gives no detailed wording for the bill or a precise timetable for state-level approvals.

If Nigeria allows states to establish and control their own police forces, policing decisions could become more closely linked to local conditions. State authorities might shape priorities around security problems within their territories instead of relying only on national direction.

For example, a state facing a particular security challenge could organize policing resources around that problem. The key mechanism would be decentralization: constitutional approval would permit state police, while the National Policing Bill would help define the wider framework. The article calls the bill the administration’s most consequential so far.

The article does not specify exactly how command, funding, recruitment, or cooperation would work. Those details would determine the practical effects. For now, the proposal remains under review, with the bill about 90% ready and the constitutional amendment passed by only about six states.

Under Nigeria’s established constitutional structure, the Nigeria Police Force is a federal institution. The President and the Inspector General of Police sit at the national level, while state governors have important security responsibilities but do not operate separate state police forces.

In practice, policing is delivered through national police commands located in states and communities. State governments and local communities can support security efforts, provide information, and work with police, but they do not normally control independent police forces. The article names the Inspector General of Police among the meeting participants but does not describe these arrangements.

The proposed State Police amendment would change that structure by allowing states to establish and control their own forces. The article says only about six states had passed the amendment, so the existing national model remains in place while approval is still being pursued.

Countries often divide political and policing authority between central and regional governments because different areas face different problems. Local or regional authorities may understand nearby communities better, while a central government can coordinate national threats and maintain common standards.

This arrangement is meant to solve a basic tension. A fully central system can be consistent but may respond slowly or overlook local conditions. A fully local system may be responsive but can struggle with coordination across borders and national emergencies. Divided authority attempts to combine both strengths.

The article presents Nigeria’s State Police proposal within this broader question of national versus regional control. Gbajabiamila said there was a national consensus supporting the constitutional amendments. The article does not discuss the general theory directly, so this explanation adds established political context rather than attributing it to the working group.