The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) has urged the federal government, state governors and Houses of Assembly to fast-track the establishment and implementation of state police, saying worsening insecurity across the country has made decentralised policing necessary.
The senators expressed concern over recent terrorist attacks in Adamawa and Sokoto states, which they said claimed more than 36 lives, including security personnel and worshippers.
In a statement on Friday, Chairman of the forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central), called on the Presidential Working Group chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, state governors and Houses of Assembly to expedite action on the State Police Bill awaiting ratification.
The forum said the prevailing security challenges required urgent reforms rather than prolonged bureaucratic processes.
‘Decentralised policing is critical to improving response time and intelligence gathering at the grassroots.
‘We cannot continue to lose innocent lives to insurgents while bureaucracy delays critical security reforms. The time to act is now,’ the senators said.
The forum condemned the attacks on the Gaya community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State and Ungushi village in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
It said more than 36 Nigerians, including security personnel and worshippers, were killed in the attacks.
‘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,’ the statement said.
The lawmakers commiserated with the families of the victims and prayed for the repose of their souls, while wishing those injured speedy recovery.
Beyond state police, the senators urged state and local governments to strengthen community vigilante groups, describing them as important partners in intelligence gathering for the police and military.
They said closer collaboration between security agencies and local communities would strengthen early warning systems and enable authorities to respond more quickly to emerging threats.
The forum maintained that the recent attacks underscored the need for comprehensive security reforms, warning that further delays could expose more communities and Nigerians to terrorist attacks.