Terrorist attacks: Northern senators seek urgent action on State Police Bill

Following the killings by terrorists in Adamawa and Sokoto states respectively, senators from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the aegis of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), have called for urgent action on the State Police Bill.

The senators urged the federal government, state governors and state Houses of Assembly to give prompt attention to the bill, which is awaiting ratification.

The call was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of the forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, APC, Katsina Central.

According to the Northern Senators, decentralised policing is critical to improving response time and intelligence gathering at the grassroots and state and local governments must invest in and strengthen community vigilante groups to serve as intelligence partners to the Police and Military.

The statement read, “The Northern Senators Forum strongly condemns the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Gaya community, Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State and in Ungushi village, Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, which have claimed the lives of over 36 Nigerians, including security personnel and innocent worshippers.

“Adamawa Attack, according to confirmed reports, suspected insurgents of “Boko Haram” on the night of Monday, August 17, 2026, invaded Gaya community in Hong LGA.

“The attackers set two houses ablaze and killed eight people, including one Police Inspector and seven civilians.

“Sokoto Attack, in a related incident on Friday, August 15, 2026, suspected terrorists from ‘Lakurawa’, a group reportedly linked to extremist networks in Mali and Niger, attacked worshippers at Ungushi village in Kebbe LGA, Sokoto State during Friday prayers.

“About 30 people were killed. The attack followed the killing of four soldiers in the area earlier that day.

“The Northern Senators Forum commiserates with the families of all victims, and with the governments and people of Adamawa and Sokoto States.

“In light of these tragedies, we urgently call on: The Federal Government, through the Presidential Working Group chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, State Governors, and State Houses of Assembly, to give prompt attention and concurrence to the State Police Bill currently awaiting ratification.

“Decentralized policing is critical to improving response time and intelligence gathering at the grassroots.

“State and Local Governments to invest in and strengthen community vigilante groups to serve as intelligence partners to the Police and Military.

“We cannot continue to lose innocent lives to insurgents while bureaucracy delays critical security reforms. The time to act is now.

“The Forum prays for the repose of the souls of the departed and for the speedy recovery of those injured.”