Northern Senators Demand Urgent State Police Bill After Deadly Attacks
Senators from the 19 northern states and the FCT, under the Northern Senators Forum, urged urgent ratification of the State Police Bill after deadly attacks in Adamawa and Sokoto States. According to their Friday statement, suspected Boko Haram insurgents killed eight people, including a police inspector, in Gaya community, Hong LGA, Adamawa on Monday Aug 17, setting two houses ablaze. In Sokoto, suspected Lakurawa militants attacked worshippers during Friday prayers at Ungushi village, Kebbe LGA on Aug 15, killing about 30 people, with four soldiers killed earlier the same day. The forum said the attacks claimed over 36 lives total.
The senators argue that decentralised policing through state police would improve response time and intelligence gathering at the grassroots, and they also urged state and local governments to strengthen community vigilante groups to support security forces. The bill is currently awaiting ratification by the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
The call highlights ongoing security challenges in Nigeria’s north and the legislative push for state-controlled police as a potential solution. Readers should monitor whether the National Assembly and state assemblies act on the bill, and consider how community vigilance initiatives might affect local safety.