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By Madu Obi
Retiring Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, on Monday went down memory lane, narrating how the Nigeria Police Forced used him for 35 years, most of the time in dangerous locations in the course of his service to the nation.
He, however, expressed gratitude to the country for the exposure and opportunity he had to serve his father land.
CP Adeoye was pulled out of the service at the weekend and was in his office on Monday to, according to him, clear his table properly and prepare it for the person that would take over from him.
He said: " The Police used me to maximum purposes. While some retired policemen describe themselves as fairly used materials, me, I was badly used."
"I was in very dangerous places many times and I believe it was a mark of confidence in me by the authorities."
" For instance, I was in the Niger Delta fighting the militants for five and a half years and within three months of my deployment to Port Harcourt, we smashed the gun- running gang there and recovered 56 military assault rifles from the militants."
" When I was the sector commander in Maiduguri to fight the Boko Haram, we had three suicide bombing attempts and we foiled all of them."
"After two and a half years in the North East, I was brought to the South East as the Deputy Commissioner Operations for fighting IPOB insurgency as the coordinator for the five South East states."
In fact, when Gullak was killed in Imo State, I mobilized men who got the killers and the two who escaped were later nabbed.
"It was the killing of Dr. Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late Professor Dora Akunyili, that brought me back to Anambra as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations."
" The 2021 governorship election in Anambra which IPOB vowed that it would never hold, was successfully conducted and after that, I was promoted Commissioner of Police and moved to Force Headquarters."
" In July last year, I was brought back to Anambra as the state Police Commissioner."
"When the insurgents started attacking police stations in the state, I didn't confront them there, but decided to destroy their camps, thus making it difficult for them to mobilize and plan further attacks. Since then, Anambra has remained peaceful."
Adeoye said that unlike many of his retired colleagues who chose to continue security business as consultants, he is through with anything concerning security.
"I have prepared myself for the future and might consider playing some political roles, but will not do business of providing security again."
" I was fortunate to be exposed to stock market early in life as an undergraduate. Since then, my interest in acquiring shares has never waned."
" In Ethiopia where I served for five years and was earning very good salary, I saved almost all my earnings and when I came back to Nigeria, I invested over N100 million in shares and those shares are doing well," Adeoye said.
He urged Nigerians to join hands to move the country forward, noting that although the country has great potentials, there is a gap that needs to be bridged to enable her properly move in the right track.
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