TheCable

President Bola Tinubu, 36 state governors, and the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) have agreed on the need to recruit more Nigerians into the police to tackle the country’s growing insecurity.

In a statement on Thursday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the decision was reached at a meeting Tinubu held with the governors and FCT minister on Thursday at the State House, Abuja.

The meeting was called to find ways to tackle economic hardship and insecurity in the country.

The presidential aide said the meeting agreed that the federal government would work with the national assembly to establish state police instead of using vigilantes.

“Modalities for state police and addressing security issues to be discussed further at the National Economic Council,” he said.

Onanuga said Tinubu asked the governors to work more with the federal government to increase local production of food.

“The president advised against the idea of food importation and price control when local food producers should be encouraged to produce more food,” he said.

“The president advised governors to follow the example of Kano state in dealing with hoarding of food for profiteering by commodities merchants.

“He directed the Inspector-General of Police, National Security Adviser, and Department of State Services to monitor warehouses hoarding food items across the country and stop profiteering by merchants.

“The president charged governors to pay attention to livestock development in their states and increase production, especially poultry and fishing products.”

Onanuga said Tinubu “pleaded” with governors to ensure that all salary arrears to workers and gratuities to pensioners are cleared.