Gbajabiamila Says National Policing Bill Remains On Seven Week Schedule

Gbajabiamila Says National Policing Bill Remains on Seven-Week Schedule Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill remains on course to meet the milestones outlined in its seven-week work plan. Gbajabiamila, who chairs the working group, made the disclosure as the extended deadline for Nigerians and other stakeholders to submit memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation closed at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026. According to him, the working group has moved beyond its initial organisational stage and has commenced substantive policy and legislative work, with the first drafting sprint of the proposed National Policing Bill now underway. The Policy Advisory Committee, chaired by retired Justice Mohammed Abdullahi Liman, has also completed the first stage of its oversight responsibilities, providing policy direction for the drafting process. Legal drafters nominated by the Federal Ministry of Justice have commenced work in line with the approved timetable, while consultations with professional bodies, civil society organisations, security stakeholders, experts and members of the public have generated substantial contributions.Gbajabiamila said all memoranda and position papers received are being systematically reviewed to ensure relevant recommendations are incorporated into the legislative process. The proposed bill is expected to provide the legal and constitutional framework for a dual policing structure comprising Federal Police and State Police Services, with safeguards covering accountability, oversight, funding, recruitment, training, firearms control, complaints mechanisms and human rights. The Federal Government had earlier said the seven-week assignment would run from July 27 to September 14, 2026, with drafting, policy research, implementation modelling and stakeholder engagement taking place simultaneously. Gbajabiamila said the working group would now intensify its focus on the next phase of drafting while maintaining the pace established since the beginning of the assignment. The final legislative package is expected to be presented to President Tinubu for consideration before being transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative action.