Tinubu Names Gbaja, Ribadu, Dapo Abiodun in State Police Implementation Committee

President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the presidential working group on the National Policing Bill, naming Femi Gbajabiamila, his chief of staff, as chairman of the committee and Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) among its members.

In a statement on Tuesday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the committee was constituted to prepare the legal framework for the implementation of state police across the country.

Tinubu, who was represented by Gbajabiamila at the inauguration held at the presidential villa, Abuja, said the committee became necessary following the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, by the national assembly.

According to the president, while the constitutional amendment provides the framework for state police, the National Policing Bill will establish the legal structure for its implementation.

“The Constitution Amendment Bill establishes the framework for dual policing, but it does not operationalise it. That work is left to the National Policing Bill,” he said.

Tinubu said the proposed legislation would contain provisions on minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and fiscal conditions.

He added that the committee would produce an implementation-ready draft bill for transmission to the national assembly immediately after the constitutional amendment process.

“The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly,” the president added. 

“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment.”

Other members of the committee include Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser; Adam Osigwe, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); Dapo Abiodun, chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF); Tunji Disu, inspector-general of police, and the chairman of the NGF committee on state police. 

A secretariat is to be created to provide administrative support for the panel.

Speaking on behalf of the NGF, Abiodun, governor of Ogun, pledged the support of governors for the speedy implementation of the reform.

He said governors would work to ensure the bill is promptly considered by their respective state houses of assembly after the constitutional amendment process.

“This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List,” Abiodun said.

The governor said the initiative builds on the success of regional security outfits such as Amotekun and could significantly boost the country’s security workforce.

“If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police,” he said.

According to the statement, Fagbemi described the initiative as timely, citing the country’s security challenges.

“There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck,” he said.

“I appeal to the governors to do their utmost to ensure the early passage of the constitutional amendment because this is a shared responsibility.”

Osigwe reiterated the association’s support for the state police initiative but stressed the need for legal safeguards against abuse.

“Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police,” he was quoted as saying. 

“We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression.”

Also present at the inauguration were the attorneys-general and commissioners for justice of Plateau, Lagos and Ondo states, representatives of the inspector-general of police and the national security adviser, as well as other senior government officials.