State Police Bill: Presidency extends public submission deadline to August 21

The Presidency has extended the deadline for Nigerians and other stakeholders to submit memoranda and position papers on the proposed National Policing Bill to August 21, 2026.

 

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill had earlier fixed Thursday, August 13, as the deadline for submissions.

 

In a statement on Thursday, the Chairman of the Working Group and Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the extension was intended to allow more individuals, institutions and organisations to contribute to the proposed legislation.

 

The bill seeks to establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework for a reformed policing system, while providing safeguards for accountability, professionalism and citizens’ rights.

 

Gbajabiamila urged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security professionals, state governments, academics, professional bodies and members of the public to use the extended period to submit their views through the official National Policing Bill portal.

 

He said the consultation would consider critical issues including funding, command and control, recruitment and training, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination, accountability and safeguards against political interference.

 

“The Presidential Working Group is committed to ensuring that the process of developing the National Policing Bill benefits from broad consultation and the informed perspectives of Nigerians and relevant stakeholders,” he said.

 

The Working Group is expected to submit a final, implementation-ready draft of the bill to President Tinubu for review on September 3, 2026, before its onward legislative processing.