Path to Democratic Policing: Why Gazetting the Revised Police Regulations Is Urgent

 
It took Nigeria’s civil society organisations (CSOs) sixteen years of unrelenting advocacy to achieve the landmark passage of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020. That Act was hailed as a historic break from colonial-era policing – laying down a framework built on accountability, human rights, gender inclusion, and community trust. Yet, five years after its enactment, the promise of the Police Act is being undermined.

The reason is simple: the revised Police Regulations – the day-to-day operational rules of the Nigeria Police Force – remain ungazetted by the Federal Ministry of Justice. This bureaucratic delay has kept the force shackled to outdated, discriminatory, and unconstitutional provisions, creating a dangerous contradiction between law and practice.

The Case of Miss Omolola: Why It Matters

Consider the case of Constable Olajide Omolola, dismissed in 2020 under Regulation 127 of the old Police Act for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. Her dismissal was later reversed by the National Industrial Court and affirmed by the Court of Appeal, which ruled the regulation discriminatory and unconstitutional. Yet until the revised Regulations are gazetted, many such archaic and unjust rules remain in force, leaving women and rank-and-file officers vulnerable to arbitrary sanctions.

Similarly, provisions restricting female officers from wearing ornaments or forcing them to seek approval before marriage are still on the books – starkly inconsistent with Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (Section 42 on freedom from discrimination), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and global conventions Nigeria has ratified.

Why the Gazetting Delay is Dangerous

The Police Act 2020 enshrines democratic values, but without gazetted Regulations to give life to its principles:

– The Rule of Law is undermined. Officers operate under vague, outdated rules open to abuse.

– Accountability is weakened. Oversight bodies like the Police Service Commission (PSC) cannot enforce reforms.

– Democracy is endangered. The police play a central role in election security. Outdated rules create room for abuse during campaigns and voting.

– Security sector reform is stalled. Outdated codes block progress on rights-based, gender-sensitive, and technology-driven policing.

The contradiction is glaring: the Act and Regulations are speaking different languages, with the Police Act calling for progress and accountability, while the Regulations drag the Force backward into colonial authoritarianism.

Lessons From Citizen Protests

The #EndSARS protests of 2020 sent a clear message: Nigerians demand a police force that is modern, transparent, and accountable. Reforms on paper are not enough. Citizens want to see tangible change in how officers are recruited, trained, disciplined, and held accountable. Gazetting the revised Regulations is the only way to bridge this gap.

International and Constitutional Obligations

Nigeria is bound not only by its own Constitution but also by international obligations under:

– African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ratified into Nigerian law).

– UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.

– Sustainable Development Goal 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions).

Failing to operationalise the Police Act through gazetted Regulations undermines these commitments and erodes Nigeria’s global credibility.

Civil Society’s Demands

On August 24, 2025, leading CSOs, including Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, NOPRIN Foundation, Global Rights, PWAN, CDD, and Media Rights Agenda, issued a joint statement calling on the Presidency, the Ministry of Police Affairs, and the Federal Ministry of Justice to:

1. Immediately finalise and gazette the revised Police Regulations.

2. Make the gazetted Regulations publicly accessible in print, online, and simplified formats.

3. Institutionalise periodic reviews every 3–5 years to adapt to modern policing needs.

4. Train all officers on rights-based policing, gender inclusion, and community engagement.

5. Strengthen oversight by aligning PSC, Police Trust Fund, and civil society monitoring with the new Regulations.

The Time to Act Is Now

Gazetting the revised Police Regulations is not a bureaucratic formality. It is a constitutional duty, a democratic necessity, and a security imperative. Until this is done, the Police Act 2020 will remain largely unimplemented, public trust in the police will continue to deteriorate, and Nigeria’s reform agenda will ring hollow.
The Federal Ministry of Justice must stop the foot -dragging. The Presidency must give urgent political backing. Civil society and the public must sustain pressure.

Nigeria cannot afford to keep its police trapped in colonial legacies while claiming democratic progress. The time to act is not tomorrow. The time is now.

Okechukwu Nwanguma 

Executive Director