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 announced the extension on Thursday, a day after the Presidency had initially set August 13 as the closing date.

In a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, the group said the additional time would allow interested individuals, institutions and organisations to make more detailed contributions to the proposed legislation.

The new deadline is 5pm West Africa Time on Friday, August 21.

“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,” the statement said.

The proposed legislation is expected to establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework required for an effective policing system that can respond to Nigeria’s changing security needs.

The framework is also expected to include safeguards for accountability, professionalism and the protection of citizens’ rights.

Gbajabiamila said the significance of the proposed policing reform warranted broader consultation, particularly given its potential impact on Nigeria’s internal security architecture.

“Given the significance of the proposed reform to the future of policing and internal security in Nigeria, the Working Group considers it important that stakeholders are afforded more opportunity to make substantive and technically sound contributions to the process,” he said.

The Presidency encouraged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security sector professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics, technical experts and other interested Nigerians to use the extended submission period.

All memoranda and position papers are expected to be submitted exclusively through the official National Policing Bill portal before the new deadline.

The extension comes as the Federal Government continues consultations on the proposed establishment of state police, a reform that has generated significant national debate over security, funding, accountability and potential political interference.

The Working Group has previously stressed the need for any new policing structure to maintain professional standards while protecting citizens from abuse.

The additional consultation period is expected to give stakeholders more time to examine the proposed framework and provide recommendations that could shape the final legislation before it is transmitted to the National Assembly.