The Presidency has announced that public submissions on the proposed National Policing Bill will close at 5pm today, Thursday, August 13, 2026, as consultations continue on the planned establishment of state police in Nigeria.

Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, urged Nigerians to submit their views and recommendations before the deadline.

According to Gbajabiamila, the consultation is intended to incorporate Nigerians’ experiences and professional expertise into the proposed policing framework, particularly on issues such as political interference, police misconduct, oversight and intelligence-sharing between federal and state police services.

He stressed that any state police system must include strong safeguards to prevent governors from using police powers against political opponents, protesters, journalists, minority communities and other citizens.

Gbajabiamila also noted that the public consultation would not replace the constitutional responsibilities of the National Assembly, which retains the authority to scrutinise, amend, reject or pass the proposed legislation.

The establishment of state police will require constitutional changes because Section 214 of the Constitution currently provides for the Nigeria Police Force. Proposed amendments have been approved by both chambers of the National Assembly, but further legislative and state-level approvals are still required before the reform can become law.

The Presidency has therefore urged citizens and stakeholders who have not yet submitted their recommendations to do so before the 5pm deadline today.