Nigeria’s State Police Bill: Public Submissions Close Today as Presidency Sets 5pm Deadline

Nigeria’s proposed shift towards state police has reached a key stage, with the Presidency reminding Nigerians that public submissions on the proposed National Policing Bill will close at 5pm today, Thursday, August 13.

The proposed legislation seeks to reshape the country’s policing system, with state-level policing forming a major part of the planned reforms. The move could mark a significant change from Nigeria’s current centralised policing structure.

Supporters of state police argue that giving states greater responsibility for policing could improve local intelligence and allow security agencies to respond more quickly to threats within communities. They say officers who understand local conditions may be better positioned to prevent and tackle crime.

However, the proposal has also raised concerns about how state police would operate in practice. Key questions include who would fund the forces, how their independence would be protected and what safeguards would prevent governors or other political actors from using police powers against opponents.

Those concerns have made the public consultation particularly important. A state policing system without strong legal and institutional safeguards could improve security in some areas while creating new risks in others.

The Presidency said the consultation is designed to give Nigerians and relevant stakeholders an opportunity to submit their views before the proposed National Policing Bill progresses further.

With the deadline set for 5pm today, attention is now turning to the quality of the feedback and how policymakers respond to the concerns raised. The central challenge will be designing state police that can bring security closer to communities without turning policing powers into a tool for political control.