Nigeria Presidency advances policing and drug enforcement bills

The Nigerian Presidency has announced plans to transmit the National Policing Bill to the National Assembly within two weeks. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, stated the legislation is approximately 90 per cent complete and is undergoing final consultations to address observations from state governors.

The bill is described as a highly consequential piece of legislation that includes proposed constitutional amendments to establish state police. While reports indicate only a few states have passed necessary constitutional alterations, Gbajabiamila noted a national consensus regarding the need for these changes.

In a separate legislative move, President Bola Tinubu has transmitted three executive bills to the House of Representatives. These include a bill to overhaul the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by replacing existing laws with a consolidated legal framework to combat drug trafficking, a bill to expand the mandate of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, and a proposal to establish a National School of Government to replace the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria.