Disturbed by the latest killings in Adamawa and Sokoto States, Senators under the aegis of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) have declared that the time for the establishment and functionality of State Police is now.
The call was made in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, representing Katsina Central.
The Senators specifically urged the Federal Government, State Governors, and State Houses of Assembly to give prompt attention to the State Police Bill currently awaiting ratification.
They said the bill should be prioritized through the Presidential Working Group chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President.
According to them, “Decentralized policing is critical to improving response time and intelligence gathering at the grassroots.”
The Forum lamented that bureaucracy should not continue to delay critical security reforms while innocent lives are being lost to insurgents.
“We cannot continue to lose innocent lives to insurgents while bureaucracy delays critical security reforms. The time to act is now,” the statement read.
The Senators condemned 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.
The attacks, they said, claimed the lives of over 36 Nigerians, including security personnel and innocent worshippers.
The Forum also commiserated with families of the victims and prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and speedy recovery of those injured. It further urged State and Local Governments to invest in and strengthen community vigilante groups to serve as intelligence partners to the Police and Military. Authority.
