Nigeria’s worsening security crisis has intensified the push for state police, with fresh data showing that more than 5,000 people lost their lives in violent attacks across the country during the second quarter of 2026.
A report released by SBM Intelligence on Monday revealed that 5,091 people were killed between April and June in incidents linked to terrorism, insurgency, armed robbery, kidnappings and communal violence. The report identified Borno State as the worst-hit, recording 1,355 deaths, while 304 security personnel were among those killed nationwide during the period.Africans & Diaspora
A separate report by EONS Intelligence also painted a grim picture, documenting 417 security incidents and 264 deaths in July alone. The figures emerged as the Federal Government accelerated work on the proposed National Policing Bill, which is expected to provide the legal framework for the establishment of state police across the country.
The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill is scheduled to present the Executive Bill package to President Bola Tinubu on September 3, following consultations with stakeholders and members of the public.
The committee, inaugurated by the President in July, is chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. Speaking after the group’s inaugural meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Gbajabiamila said the draft legislation would be subjected to public scrutiny before its transmission to the National Assembly.
He disclosed that Nigerians had been invited to submit memoranda, position papers and practical recommendations through a newly launched interactive platform, adding that the consultation would enable citizens to examine the bill’s provisions on funding, operational safeguards, transition arrangements and other key issues. According to him, the working group’s programme runs from July 27 to September 14, with the draft Bill due before the President on September 3 for approval before nationwide consultations.
Gbajabiamila rejected suggestions that the Federal Government intended to use the proposed law to retain control over state policing, insisting that the legislation was only meant to establish a workable legal framework for implementing the constitutional amendment.
He explained that the Bill would address critical issues such as the relationship between federal and state police formations, funding mechanisms, recruitment, operational jurisdiction and amendments to existing laws, adding that the committee was also considering recommending federal grants to support states that might require financial assistance to establish their police services.
The presidential aide urged Nigerians to participate actively in the consultation process, stressing that no amount spent on improving national security would be excessive if it helped safeguard lives and property.
