A former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko,  has urged the  federal government to decentralise the Nigeria Police Force and allow states to recruit 5, 000 personnel as part of measures to tackle insecurity in Nigeria.

Mr Mimiko made the call on Friday while delivering the maiden convocation lecture at the  Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Kogi. 

The  lecture was  titled: “Ill-Health and Illiteracy, Siblings’ Alliance Against Development.”

Mr Mimiko said that President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the recruitment of  additional 30,000 personnel for the police force might not be adequate for the  prevailing security challenges in the country.

“What I think will help tackle the security challenges is the decentralisation of the Nigeria police force and  allowing  state governors to recruit 5,000 personnel each.

“I believe each state can put up a functional police force that can secure their people.

“The governors have the resources to recruit 5,000  personnel that will police the entire states and deal with crime and criminality in their domains, ” he said.

He described the level of insecurity across the country as very unfortunate, noting that it required  urgent action by the government and all stakeholders to secure lives and property.  

(NAN)