By ISAIAH EKA

A personnel of Nigeria Police Force, Akwa Ibom Command, Mr Lazarus Udom, who was promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said he suffered for 20 years before he got the promotion.

Udom, who bagged accelerated promotion and was decorated as DCP at the command’s headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia in Uyo on Monday, said that he served under his course mates and junior officers during the period of his travails.

Udom, an indigene of Ukanafun Local Government Area of the state, who bagged accelerated promotion from Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) to DCP.

The newly-promoted officer, who attributed his travails to bureaucratic bottlenecks, however, said that he was grateful to God, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the state police commissioner for the roles they played in his promotion.

“It was a terrible experience in my life because throughout the period of almost 20 years without promotion. I served my course mates and the junior ones. As a human being, I was frustrated, because if I say I was not frustrated, I will be telling lies.

“However, I want to thank God for His benevolence. I also thank the IGP and the commissioner of police. I feel elated today because to whom much is given much is expected.

“I will rededicate myself to serve this nation and be loyal to the IGP and to our country. I will do my best to carry out my primary responsibility which is to fight crime,” Udom said.

In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Andrew Amiengheme, thanked God for the newly-promoted officer.

Amiengheme said that the promotion was going to spur others who were in similar situations within the force.

He said that the command had instituted a reward mechanism for officers who had distinguished themselves.

“This promotion is going to encourage others officers with similar situation. My advice to them is to be patient and be more committed.

“As a command, we will ensure that officers, who are due for promotion, are promoted. Already, we have initiated different reward mechanism for hard working officers in the state,” he said. (NAN)

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