By Correspondent in Niger
The immediate past Commissioner of Police in Niger state, Adamu Usman, has expressed regret for his inability to destroy the hideouts of armed bandits in the forests, wrecking havoc in parts of the state.
Usman, who is among the newly promoted Assistant Inspectors General of police,stated this in Minna shortly after the send-forth organised for him by the Police Command in the state.
“Though I enjoyed my work as the Commissioner of Police Niger state, I was saddened by inability to destroy the hideouts of armed bandits in the forests, wrecking havoc in parts of the state.
“Niger state is the best state to me so far. I am happy to have worked there and I enjoyed the cooperation of the state government and other security agencies. But my sadness is that, I could not clear the forest of bandits before leaving, but my brother in the Military is moving to Kwangai forest to do what I could not do in the past two years stay here.
“Niger state is confronted with security challenges. Every body knows the security situation in the country and the security challenges facing Niger state, basically, due to it’s large land mass,” he told the audience at the occasion.
“The state is going through armed banditry, kidnapping and those are the major challenges. Crime and criminalities are on going and there is nothing you can do to just wipe them away at once. You just have to mitigate the challenge and that is what we have been doing.and this will continue,whether I am here or not here”.
The AIG,who however, said he tried his best possible to check the trend, assured that the Police remained committed to winning the fight against armed bandits, kidnapping and other forms of security challenges in the state.
Usman, who acknowledged the fact that Nigeria had never had it so bad security wise,further assured that the renewed efforts by the police would end security challenges facing the country.
Adamu, who also gave account of his two years stewardship in the state said, “We are committed and determined more than ever before to fight armed bandits, kidnappings and other form of criminalities confronting our nation.”
On what he would want to be remembered for as the former Niger State Commissioner of Police, Usman whose tenure attracted more criticisms than commendations said, “I want to be remembered as a CP that carried every body along in Niger state”.
The Governor of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, had earlier reiterated the preparedness of his administration to synergize and support the Police command in tackling the diverse security challenges bedevilling the state.
Bello, who spoke through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, described the Usman as a “principle and flexible leader who remained unbendable when an action cannot be justified, but bendable, if such action can be justified”.
The hormonized security team that comprised of a number of security agencies and vigilante groups which the new AIG helped to put together, according to the Governor, will continue to battle armed bandits and other criminal elements in the state.
