The presidency is moving fast on plans for state police, with a draft bill expected to land on President Bola Tinubu’s desk in early September.
Femi Gbajabiamila, who chairs the presidential working group on the national policing bill, said on Monday that the executive bill will be ready for review on September 3, 2026.
He spoke after the first meeting of the presidential committee at the State House. The committee was set up by Tinubu in July to design the legal framework for state police across Nigeria.
According to Gbajabiamila, the drafting process will run for seven weeks, from July 27 to September 14. The main draft, however, is targeted for completion and presentation to the president by September 3.
“The approved work programme is a seven-week, milestone-driven exercise running from July 27 to September 14, 2026,” he said.
“The resulting Executive Bill package is scheduled for presentation to the President on September 3.”
Gbajabiamila added that once Tinubu reviews and approves the draft, the government will begin nationwide consultations. After that, the bill will be revised and sent to the National Assembly for consideration.
He stressed that while the timeline is tight, it is not rushed. Administrative and technical work on the bill has already started.
The state police proposal has been one of the most debated security reforms in recent years, with supporters arguing it will improve local policing and critics raising concerns about abuse and funding.
