WorldStage— The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) has demanded the immediate ratification of the State Police Bill, declaring that Nigeria can no longer lose innocent lives to bureaucratic delays.
This urgent intervention followed coordinated terrorist onslaughts in Adamawa and Sokoto States that claimed more than 36 lives, including security personnel and worshippers.
The renewed push for decentralised policing comes on the heels of severe bloodshed across two major northern states.
In Adamawa State, suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded the Gaya community in Hong Local Government Area. The attackers razed houses and killed eight people, including a Police Inspector.
Another happened in Sokoto State where suspected fighters from the Lakurawa extremist group opened fire on worshippers during Friday prayers in Ungushi village, Kebbe Local Government Area.
The assault killed roughly 30 civilians and followed an ambush earlier that day where four soldiers lost their lives.
In a strongly-worded statement issued by the Chairman of the Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central), the lawmakers expressed deep frustration with delayed security architecture overhauls, and urged the Presidential Working Group (led by the Chief of Staff to the President), state governors, and State Houses of Assembly to fast-track approval for the State Police Bill.
In perspective, the bill requires structural approval by at least 24 out of the 36 State Houses of Assembly to officially pass into law.
Proponents like Senator Kawu clarified that the new network will not replace federal law enforcement but that state forces will operate alongside the federal police to secure rural communities.
The NSF advised state and local tiers of government to heavily invest in community vigilante groups to provide immediate intelligence sharing with the military.
According to reports, the senators maintained that a completely centralized command structure is too overstretched to adequately safeguard vulnerable rural borders.
