The Presidency has set a seven-week timeline for drafting the proposed State Police Bill, with the executive bill expected to be submitted to President Bola Tinubu for review on September 3, 2026.

Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Monday after the committee’s inaugural meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Tinubu had inaugurated the committee in July to develop the legal framework for the establishment and implementation of state police across the country.

Gbajabiamila said the drafting exercise will run from July 27 to September 14, 2026, describing it as a milestone-driven process rather than a rushed exercise.

According to him, once the President reviews and approves the draft, it will be subjected to nationwide consultations before being transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative consideration.

“The approved work programme is a seven-week, milestone-driven exercise running from July 27 to September 14, 2026,” he said.

“The resulting Executive Bill package is scheduled for presentation to the President on September 3. Subject to his approval, a national consultation on the completed draft will follow before the revised bill is transmitted to the National Assembly.”

Addressing questions on the financial implications of creating state police, Gbajabiamila said it was too early to provide cost estimates, stressing that any figures would be based on detailed research rather than speculation.

“There is no cost to securing lives and property,” he said, adding that the eventual cost would vary from state to state, depending on personnel, infrastructure and local security requirements.

He also announced that Nigerians would have the opportunity to contribute to the drafting process by submitting memoranda through a dedicated website, nationalpolicingbill.com, for an initial period of about 10 days, with a possible extension if necessary.

Gbajabiamila said the public participation process is designed to ensure broad ownership of the proposed state policing framework, noting that every Nigerian has a role to play in shaping the legislation.