Northern Senators Urge Action on State Police Bill

The Northern Senators Forum, led by Chairman Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central), has urgently called for action on the State Police Bill in light of recent terrorist attacks in Adamawa and Sokoto states. The attacks, which occurred on 15 and 17 August 2026, resulted in the deaths of over 36 individuals, including security personnel and worshippers.

The senators condemned the violence in Gaya community, where suspected Boko Haram insurgents killed eight people, and in Ungushi village, where about 30 worshippers were killed during Friday prayers. They stressed the importance of decentralized policing to improve response times and intelligence gathering, urging state and local governments to strengthen community vigilante groups.

The State Police Bill, already passed by the National Assembly, awaits concurrence from at least 24 state legislatures before it can be sent to the President for assent. The Forum directed its appeal to the Federal Government, state governors, and State Houses of Assembly, emphasizing that the existing security architecture is inadequate to prevent such incidents.