The National Policing Bill is 90 per cent ready for transmission to the National Assembly, with the Federal Government expected to forward the proposed legislation within the next two weeks, Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said.
Gbajabiamila, who chairs the Presidential Working Group on State Police, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists after a meeting of the group’s steering committee at the State House, Abuja.
He explained that the committee was nearing the completion of its deliberations, with only a few outstanding issues, including observations from state governors, requiring further consideration before the bill could be transmitted to the legislature.
“The National Policing Bill is more or less ready for transmission to the National Assembly. We will probably have one more meeting after this to cross the t’s and dot the i’s and make sure every area is covered. So, we are 90 per cent ready,” he said.
The Chief of Staff added that the committee expected to conclude the remaining work within about a week, paving the way for the bill’s transmission to the National Assembly.
Gbajabiamila described the proposed legislation as “the most consequential Bill of the administration so far,” noting that it had undergone extensive deliberations since the steering committee commenced its work on August 3.
He expressed confidence in the progress made by the working group, emphasising the importance of addressing outstanding concerns to ensure the bill adequately reflects the issues surrounding the proposed policing reforms.
On the Sixth Constitution Alteration Bill, which seeks to establish state police, Gbajabiamila expressed optimism that state legislatures would support the amendment despite reports that only about six states had passed it out of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said there was a national consensus on the need for the constitutional amendments, expressing confidence that the states would continue to support the process.
“I see no reason why anyone will want to have a rethink on it,” he stated.
The proposed reforms are aimed at advancing the debate on state police and addressing concerns about policing and security across the country. The transmission of the National Policing Bill to the National Assembly would mark another step in the legislative process, where lawmakers are expected to consider the proposed framework.
Those present at Thursday’s meeting included the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State; and the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was represented by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba.
Other participants included the Chairman of the Policy Advisory Committee, retired Justice Abdullahi Liman; Head of the Nigeria Police Reform Secretariat, Professor Olu Ogunsakin; Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Dr Lanre Smart; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Planning and Research and Secretary of the Committee, Nnadubem Moghalu.
A representative of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association and AIG Abraham Nabhon Thomas, representing the National Security Adviser, were also in attendance.
The meeting forms part of the ongoing efforts of the Presidential Working Group to finalise the proposed policing reforms and advance the legislative process for consideration by the National Assembly.