From: Femi Mustapha in Kaduna
The Palace of the Ovie of Oghara Kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, in collaboration with the Oghara Study Group, OSG, will host a high-level pre-town hall webinar on the proposed National Policing Bill on Thursday, August 13, 2026, ahead of a stakeholders’ town hall meeting scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
The initiative was announced in a press release signed by Rev. David Ugolor and Prof. Charles Ehweree, co-conveners of the Oghara Study Group, and made available to the media in Kaduna on Thursday.
According to the statement, the engagement responds to the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, which has started nationwide consultations to establish a legal and operational framework for state policing in Nigeria.
The webinar is themed “From Community Crisis to National Reform: Rethinking State Policing through the Oghara Experience.”
The conveners said Oghara Kingdom has recently experienced a rise in kidnapping, violent attacks, ransom demands, drug-related crimes, threats to farming, and increasing insecurity on roads linking communities within the Kingdom.
“These challenges have negatively affected livelihoods, private sector investments, education, commerce, and community cohesion,” the statement noted.
Rev. David Ugolor said the webinar aims to ensure that communities directly impacted by insecurity contribute to national policy.
“Communities at the frontline of insecurity have practical knowledge that should inform national policing reforms. Oghara Kingdom is committed to contributing constructively to the ongoing national conversation by presenting evidence-based recommendations that enhance community security, accountability, and public trust,” he stated.
High-level participation is expected at both the webinar and the town hall meeting. Special invitations have been extended to Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, His Royal Majesty, the Ovie of Oghara Kingdom, and His Excellency, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, former Governor of Delta State, who will serve as a Special Guest and Father of the Day at the town hall.
Other dignitaries invited include the Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, the Commissioner of Police for Delta State, the Chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Council, members of the Council of Chiefs, traditional rulers, youth and women’s leaders, farmers, market women, religious figures, civil society groups, academia, development partners, and private sector representatives.
The webinar will feature presentations from Nigerian and international experts, including Dr. Sonia Warner from the UK, a former Adviser with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and Prof. Charles Ehweree, a political scientist and Co-Convener of OSG, alongside other specialists in policing, governance, justice reform, and community security.
Discussions will focus on the proposed National Policing Bill, international experiences with state policing, community-led strategies to combat kidnapping and organized crime, the role of traditional institutions in security, human rights and accountability, sustainable funding of state police, and building partnerships between communities and security agencies.
The Oghara Study Group said the engagement will produce a Community Memorandum, which will be refined and adopted during the town hall on August 15, 2026. At the end of the meeting, His Royal Majesty, the Ovie of Oghara Kingdom, will formally present the Oghara Policy Memorandum on the Proposed National Policing Bill to the Presidential Working Group as the Kingdom’s official contribution to the national consultation.
The group characterized the initiative as one of Nigeria’s first structured, community-wide consultations aimed at developing a policy memorandum for the proposed bill. “The initiative reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening democratic participation, promoting evidence-based policymaking, and supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to establish a modern, accountable, and community-responsive policing system,” the statement said.
The OSG urged all sons and daughters of Oghara Kingdom, community leaders, security agencies, policymakers, development partners, civil society, and the media to participate actively.
“Together, these engagements will help ensure that the voices of local communities are reflected in Nigeria’s evolving security architecture and contribute to building a safer, more peaceful, and prosperous Oghara Kingdom,” it added.
The events will be held under the theme “United for Peace, Security, Development, and the Future of Oghara Kingdom” and the motto “One Kingdom One Voice One Future.”