A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has called for the urgent finalisation and gazetting of the revised Police Regulations, warning that delays are undermining the effective implementation of the Police Act 2020 and frustrating reform efforts.
In a communiqué issued after a strategic meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the groups outlined a multi-pronged advocacy plan to pressure the federal government into action before the end of the year.
The meeting, jointly convened by the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative (Partners West Africa Nigeria – PWAN), the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), and the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), brought together stakeholders from the legal community, media, and civil society.
Participants expressed concern that the absence of the gazetted regulations, which are an integral part of the Police Act, creates a legal gap that hampers police professionalism, accountability, and public trust.
To address the delay, the coalition resolved to launch a series of coordinated actions, including sustained media campaigns, citizen mobilisation, and town hall meetings to raise public awareness. They also plan direct advocacy visits to the Ministry of Police Affairs to press for the fulfillment of its statutory mandate.
Furthermore, the CSOs pledged support for the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) legal action challenging the continued use of outdated 1946 Police Regulations. Should the ministry fail to act, the coalition stated it would consider initiating its own legal proceedings through a writ of mandamus.
The group emphasised its commitment to pursuing these strategies with a deadline of December 2025, insisting that the gazetting of the Police Regulations is a statutory requirement, not an option. Other strategies include simplifying the regulations for wider public understanding and building a broader coalition to mount coordinated pressure.
The communiqué was jointly signed by Ijeoma Igwe of PWAN, Okechukwu Nwanguma of RULAAC, and Idris Bawa of NOPRIN.
