Presidential working group summits draft National Policing Bill, 29 amendment bills to Justice Ministry

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, alongside 29 consequential amendment bills, to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.
The submission was made on October 19, 2026, to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, in line with the working group’s schedule.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the Ministry of Justice would review the proposed legislation to ensure compliance with legislative drafting standards and conventions and prevent conflicts with existing laws.
According to the statement, the ministry is expected to return the validated draft bills to the working group on or before October 30, 2026.
The working group will subsequently give the validated bills final consideration before presenting them to President Bola Tinubu, bringing its assignment to a close.
The proposed National Policing Bill seeks to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The proposed framework is expected to provide the legal basis for the establishment and operation of policing services at both federal and state levels.
Gbajabiamila said the working group remained committed to a rigorous and transparent process to produce a comprehensive legislative proposal for the President’s consideration and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
He added that the preparation of the National Policing Bill was progressing alongside the ongoing consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, by state Houses of Assembly.
The statement noted that the constitutional amendment process must be completed before the bill can be transmitted to the National Assembly.
The submission of the draft bill and its accompanying amendment proposals marks the completion of the drafting stage of the working group’s assignment, with legislative review and validation now preceding its final consideration and presentation to the President.