A retired air force officer, Group Captain Ayo Salami, has fingered past Inspectors -Generals of Police for the myriad of challenges facing the police in the country, saying that they should be held responsible for any shortcomings being experienced in the service.

He alleged that the former IGPs were seeking government patronage in proffering solution to the problems, saying "You can't be part of problem and be part of solution".

Salami, who spoke as a guest lecturer at the annual Third Estate dinner on Sallah Day, aligned with the proponents of a state police and advocated its establishment as practised in America.

He said police as presently constituted is not workable, saying an alternative should be thought out.

The retired Group Captain, who was one time Commander of the Nigerian Air force Base in Lagos, also carpeted the reform efforts of the Nigeria Police, saying, "I am not optimistic about it".

He said academicians should have been involved in the reform drive, just as he advocated improved funding of the police, adding, "We need people with vision and great ideas".

Salami said government should consult with the academic community and security agents on security issues as was the case in America.

"In advanced democracies, the political leadership involves the academics and security operatives who are expected to come up with reasonable policies on security", he said.

The retired officer said military approach could not solve the security challenges besetting the country until issues of bad governance are addressed.

The security expert lamented that critical infrastructure in the country is in a state of disrepair. "No light, no water, the roads are bad. No job", he added, continuing, "Taking care of these is more important than having a police and the army".

He applauded the poverty alleviation efforts of the government but noted that such efforts "need to be more practical and pragmatic", adding that opportunities should be created for self-employment to reduce poverty and take the jobless people off the streets and prevent them from revolting against government.

He therefore called for tolerance among Nigerians irrespective of religious, ethnic or tribal affiliations.