From John Adams, Minna
The Niger State Commissioner of Police, Monday Kuryas, has appealed to the Federal Government for more equipment for the Nigerian Police Force to enable it effectively combat crimes, especially Banditry and terrorism in the country.
The police chief said the Force lacks basic equipment such as Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), bullets proof vests, operational vehicles, helmets, long and short-range tear gas and other anti-riot equipment which has hindered the performance of its constitutional role optimally.
Speaking on Thursday during his retirement and pulling out parade at the Force training school in
Minna, Kuryas who left the force for attaining the retirement age of 60 after 32 years in service, disclosed that despite the numerous challenges facing the force, the Niger state command under his watch in the last year has made some remarkable achievements in the area of crime fighting.
He said on assumption of duty in August 2021 as the Niger state Commissioner of Police, about seven local government areas of the state were under the control of armed bandits and terrorists, adding that “today you will agree with me that there is relative peace in the state.”
While acknowledging the contributions of other security agencies through synergy to the relative peace in the state, the outgoing police boss admitted that “it is not yet over as our deployments are still on the ground with the collaborative efforts of the Military through the air components and ground troops.”
Kuryas pointed out that despite the challenges being faced by the force, the state command in the last year made tremendous achievements with the arrest of no fewer than 326 suspected for various major offences, including culpable homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, rape and unlawful possession of firearms.
Out of this number, 284 were charged to court and successfully prosecuted while 42 others are under investigation awaiting trial, stressing that these wouldn’t have been possible without the support of officers and men of the force and other stakeholders.
Recalling his 32 years in the service, Kuryas disclosed that he was enlisted into the Nigerian Police Force in 1990 as cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police alongside 200 others, “but today, we are over a hundred left in the service and I am most grateful to God for his grace to his level, having served in 15 different states at various capacities before my retirement today”.
The colourful pulling-out parade was witnessed by top government functionaries, heads of various security agencies in the state, traditional rulers, retired and serving police officers and members of the public.