The Federal Government is currently establishing the legal and operational structure required to launch state-level policing. Officials have revealed a seven-week timeline dedicated to drafting a National Policing Bill, which will serve as the foundation for a system featuring both federal and state authorities.
Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President and head of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, shared these updates during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. He clarified that, despite recent legislative momentum, Nigeria does not yet have any operational state police services. The Nigerian Police Force continues to hold its position as the sole constitutionally mandated law enforcement agency.
While the Senate and the House of Representatives endorsed the relevant constitutional proposals on June 24 and July 23, 2026, respectively, the transition remains a work in progress. Gbajabiamila emphasized that these amendments require further ratification from state Houses of Assembly and the formal passage of specific implementing legislation before they can take effect. He noted that the ongoing constitutional changes create a general framework but do not constitute a fully functional policing system on their own.
