Northern Senators Demand Urgent State Police After Attacks

The Northern Senators Forum has called for the urgent establishment of state police in Nigeria following recent terrorist attacks in Adamawa and Sokoto states that killed more than 36 people. In a statement issued on Friday, August 21, 2026, the forum's chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa YarAdua, condemned the violence and urged the federal government, state governors, and state Houses of Assembly to give prompt attention to the State Police Bill currently awaiting ratification.

The senators' statement was a direct response to two separate attacks. On August 15, suspected Lakurawa militants attacked worshippers during Friday prayers in Ungushi village, Kebbe local government area of Sokoto state, killing about 30 people. The attack followed the killing of four soldiers in the area earlier that day. Two days later, on August 17, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Gaya community in Hong local government area of Adamawa state, killing eight people, including a police inspector and seven civilians, and setting two houses ablaze.

The Northern Senators Forum, representing senators from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, stated that the combined death toll...