The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has defended the proposed National Policing Bill, saying the Federal Government is not trying to take over policing powers but is instead working to establish minimum standards that will guide law enforcement across Nigeria.
Fagbemi said the proposed legislation is aimed at creating a uniform framework that every policing institution in the country must follow, regardless of whether it is controlled by the Federal Government or individual states. He explained that the standards are necessary to ensure professionalism, accountability and respect for citizens’ rights.
According to the minister, the bill is designed to guarantee that policing services across Nigeria operate under the same basic rules, particularly in areas such as recruitment, training, discipline, operational procedures and protection of human rights.
He stressed that setting national benchmarks does not amount to centralising security operations, noting that the goal is to prevent wide differences in policing practices that could affect justice, public confidence and national security.
The AGF also explained that many federal systems around the world maintain nationwide policing standards while allowing regional or state security agencies to perform their responsibilities independently. He said Nigeria’s proposed framework follows a similar principle.
Fagbemi added that the legislation is expected to improve coordination among security agencies, strengthen oversight and promote greater public trust in law enforcement institutions across the country.
He called on Nigerians to examine the contents of the proposed bill rather than rely on speculation, insisting that the reforms are intended to modernise policing and improve the delivery of security services nationwide.
The National Policing Bill is one of the key security reform initiatives currently under consideration as the Federal Government seeks to improve the country’s policing system while ensuring that every law enforcement agency operates within clearly defined national standards.