The Federal Government has said the National Policing Bill is 90 per cent ready and will be sent to the National Assembly within two weeks.
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday after the Presidential Working Group on Policing Reform meeting at the State House, Abuja.
Gbajabiamila said the committee only needed to complete some final reviews before forwarding the bill to lawmakers.
“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% ready,” he said.
“The governors have one or two observations, and we should be ready in about a week or so,” he added.
He described the proposed law as “the most consequential Bill of the administration so far”, saying it had gone through detailed discussions since the committee started work on August 3.
The bill is expected to introduce major changes to Nigeria’s policing system and support efforts to tackle insecurity, including terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other crimes.
On concerns that some states may delay the passage of the Sixth Constitution Alteration Bill on State Police, Gbajabiamila said Nigerians already support the reform.
“I see no reason why anyone will want to have a rethink on it,” he said.
He added that there was a “national consensus” on the need for the constitutional amendment.
The meeting was attended by governors, police authorities, justice ministry officials and other members of the Presidential Working Group.
Those present included Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Inspector General of Police Tunji Disu and other stakeholders.
The Federal Government said the reform is part of efforts to build a stronger policing system that can better respond to Nigeria’s security challenges.