*Police officers pulling out the retirees…
By Ekamma UBA, Assistant Investigator Editor, Lagos/
LAGOS– EMOTIONS ran high Wednesday at the Police College ground of the Pull out ceremony of retiring Police officers after the Inspector-General of Police IGP Akali Usman Baba told the retring officers that they were leaving the force when their services were needed most. The IGP who was ably represented by the Depugy Inspector-General of Police in charge of operations DIG Ops, Adeleke Adeyinka Bode said retirees were living heroes who retired meritoriously, maintaining that their wealth of experience would be highly missed. “Your pull-out from service, today, is coming at a time your experiences are needed for the growth and development of the nation. The force wishes you good luck in your future endeavours,” he said. And delivering an emotion laden valedictory message, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of South-West, DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo who was the most senior among the retiring officers said the 35 year journey in the Nigeria Police Force was replete with intrigues adding that it was by the grace of God that they survived the journey. Retired DIG Kokumo noted that they were 198 officers who commenced the journey adding that 178 completed the training at the Police College adding that many of their colleagues had since kicked the bucket in the course of the journey.
He said, “Giving a valedictory speech that adequately addresses every aspect of our experience as Police Officers since we joined the force thirty-five (35) years ago is not an easy task. However, allow us to begin this valedictory speech by thanking the Almighty God, the Alpha and Omega and Majesty. This day would not have been possible without him. There were so many other officers who joined the Force before us and even long after us who dreamt and wished to see a day like this but never got the chance. There were also a number of my contemporaries who joined the Force on the same day as we did and were looking forward to seeing a day like this, but it never came. One hundred and ninety-eight (198) of us commenced training on 15th March, 1988. One hundred and seventy-eight (178) completed training. Many of them were called to glory long before they reached retirement age. May their gentle souls find eternal peace. This is why we began this speech with a prayer of thanksgiving to the Almighty God.
*DIG Kokumo Rtd flanked by other retirees…
Our appointment into the Force was both divine and fortuitous. After finishing tertiary education, many had no premonition of becoming police officers. We must admit that the journey thus far has not been easy. The love and passion we had for the job were the driving forces that kept us going. On several occasions, we would leave for work and would not know when we would return. This became a pattern, and our lovely families grew accustomed to it. It was also impossible to predict where we would be deployed next.
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As a result, the family belongings were always kept in a condition that allowed for such frequent movements without being noticed. We commend our wives and lovely children for their perseverance and prayers at all times. We acknowledge the roles that our superiors played in developing us and providing us with the necessary professional knowledge and direction, both in the training colleges and on the pitch. We were always eager to learn, and we did learn a lot from them. God used these thoroughbred professionals to shape us into the persons we are today. AIG Casmir, T. Akhagbasu rtd, CP Sagbongeri rtd, CP Maramri rtd, CP Christopher Omorusi rtd, CP Muhammed Zarewa rtd, CP Udeka rtd, CSP Adeku rtd & Others. On behalf of my retiring colleagues, I would like to express our gratitude to IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+),fdc, NPM, CFR who was more than a coursemate; a boss, confidant, a friend, and a brother. To officers still in service, we love you all and thank you for
collaborating with us in the service of our fatherland. We implore you to keep the flag flying. Our collective roles and efforts to ensure the safety of every Nigerian are ongoing, and we will not give up until the battle is won. It’s our hope that the Almighty God who has seen us through our service years will also see you through.
DIG Rtd Kokumo being pulled out…
Distinguished guests, we want to thank you all for making out time to share this moment of joy with us. Finally, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency, Mohammadu Buhari, GCFR, President and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Police Service Commission for the opportunity to serve this great nation in various capacities during our service years. We will continue to support the system in our own small way even after we have disengaged.”
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