State Police: Presidential panel reviews public submissions as bill drafting begins

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill said it has started reviewing memoranda and position papers submitted by Nigerians as part of the plan to incorporate public input into the proposed legislation.

The proposed legislation will guide the creation of state police, a key security reform by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The submissions, received during a nationwide consultation, are being analysed alongside the ongoing drafting of the bill, according to a statement issued Thursday evening by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and chairperson of the working group.

He said the exercise is intended to ensure that relevant recommendations and perspectives from the consultation are considered as the proposed legislation takes shape.

The consultation has attracted contributions from institutions, professional bodies, civil society organisations, security experts and members of the public.

Mr Gbajabiamila added that the review is simultaneously being conducted as legal drafters nominated by the Federal Ministry of Justice begin the first drafting sprint under the working group’s seven-week workplan.

The Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), chaired by a retired judge, Mohammed Liman, has also completed the first stage of its oversight role and provided policy direction for the drafting process, Mr Gbajabiamila added.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the working group extended the deadline for submission of memoranda and position papers to give the public more time to contribute. The eight-day extension expires tomorrow (21 August) at 5 p.m.

The proposed National Policing Bill is expected to provide the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.

This newspaper reported that the National Assembly has passed the constitutional amendment bill for state police. While the Senate passed its version in June, the House passed it in July. The ongoing review indicates that President Tinubu intends to send a fresh bill to the lawmakers.

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The framework is also expected to include institutional safeguards, accountability mechanisms and oversight arrangements for the proposed policing structure.

The working group chair said it would continue with the next phase of drafting after the consultation window closes, with the aim of producing a comprehensive proposal for consideration by the president and eventual transmission to the National Assembly.

Mr Gbajabiamila thanked institutions, organisations, professionals, experts and members of the public who had contributed to the consultation, saying their inputs would form an important part of efforts to develop a policing framework responsive to Nigeria’s contemporary security needs.