Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu

• Presidential Working Group says constitutional threshold met
• Draft bills to reach Tinubu after final review
• Sanwo-Olu: State Police will expand Lagos Security Trust Fund’s mandate

The proposed introduction of state police in Nigeria has crossed a major constitutional hurdle with 24 State Houses of Assembly approving the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the establishment of a dual policing system.

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, in a statement on Friday, said the approvals met the constitutional requirement of at least two-thirds of the 36 state assemblies.

The group, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, commended the state legislatures for their support for the reform, while acknowledging the National Assembly for passing the amendment in both chambers.

According to the statement, the amendment can now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent, in accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

It added that the legislative approval provides the constitutional foundation for the proposed dual policing framework, which the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, is designed to operationalise.

The working group disclosed that its draft bills were undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice and were expected to be returned on or before Friday, October 30, 2026.
The group said it would give the bills final consideration upon their return before presenting them to the President.

It urged stakeholders to support a smooth transition to a dual policing system, expressing confidence that the reform would strengthen policing and improve the safety and security of Nigerians.

Similarly, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the anticipated establishment of state police will expand the responsibilities of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), requiring increased resource mobilisation and logistical support to strengthen policing in the state.

Sanwo-Olu spoke on Thursday at the commissioning of a permanent office building donated to the LSSTF by philanthropist, Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu.

The governor said the proposed state police would place additional demands on the fund, which mobilises voluntary contributions from individuals and corporate organisations to support security agencies.

He urged the LSSTF board and management to develop innovative funding strategies to ensure that Lagos could adequately equip and support its proposed police formation when the initiative became operational.

“We need to ensure that we are creative, think outside the box and bring resources together to make sure that Lagos State has one of the best state police formations in the country,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the move towards state police, describing it as an

opportunity for states to strengthen their security architecture.

He also assured existing police formations that the transition would be managed through collaboration, without unnecessary disruption or fears of job losses.

The governor said the state government would continue to support security agencies while encouraging the private sector and residents to contribute to the collective responsibility of protecting lives and property.

Sanwo-Olu said the donations demonstrated the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing security challenges, stressing that government alone could not shoulder the responsibility of ensuring public safety.

He urged wealthy individuals, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to emulate the philanthropist by supporting security initiatives.

The governor recalled that the LSSTF was established in September 2007, during the administration of former governor Babatunde Fashola, to mobilise private-sector contributions for security operations.

Sanwo-Olu commended Adebutu for financing the building, which he said was completed in less than a year after its groundbreaking ceremony in December 2025.

He also praised the fund’s board and management, particularly its Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ayodele Ogunsan, for ensuring the timely completion of the project.

Earlier, LSSTF Chairman Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti described the commissioning as a significant milestone in the fund’s history, noting that the organisation had operated from a rented office for nearly 19 years.

Durosinmi-Etti, a pioneer member of the board under its first chairman, Remi Makanjuola, said the new building would provide a permanent institutional home for coordinating partnerships and supporting security agencies.

He identified the fund’s autonomy as a major factor behind its effectiveness, explaining that it mobilises voluntary donations from individuals and corporate organisations and operates independently of the day-to-day bureaucracy of the state government.

According to him, approximately 80 per cent of the board’s membership is drawn from the private sector. He said the fund does not receive cash subventions from the state government, although the government provides support in kind and remains the largest contributor to security funding and support in Lagos.

Durosinmi-Etti said the arrangement gave donors confidence that their contributions would be managed through an established framework and directed towards identified security needs.

He added that the fund had supported security agencies through the provision of operational vehicles, protective equipment, communication systems, technology and training.

In his remarks, Ogunsan said providing a permanent office was one of his priorities shortly after assuming office. He said he approached Adebutu for support, and the philanthropist committed to the project barely a week after the request.

Ogunsan said Adebutu had also pledged that the building would be completed before his next birthday, adding that the commissioning ahead of the 91st birthday fulfilled that commitment.

He thanked Sanwo-Olu for his leadership and support, describing the governor as a key fundraiser who had helped mobilise contributions for the fund.

Adebutu, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to God and congratulated the Lagos State government, the LSSTF board and management on the commissioning.

He described the building as a testament to the collective commitment to protecting lives and property, preserving peace and creating an environment conducive to economic growth.

The philanthropist said he considered his contribution not merely an act of philanthropy but an expression of gratitude to God and a responsibility to serve humanity.

He prayed that the building would remain a lasting symbol of public-private partnership, selfless service and responsible citizenship.

The commissioning was attended by members of the state government, security chiefs, traditional rulers, members of the LSSTF board, private-sector representatives and other stakeholders.