Lagos Police Barracks: Officers have waited long enough – IGP

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, at the weekend expressed frustration over delays in the redevelopment of police barracks across Lagos State, saying officers and their families have waited long enough for dignified accommodation.

Disu was speaking during an inspection of around 21 police barracks and related facilities across the state, including projects undergoing demolition, reconstruction and redevelopment.

The inspection came against the backdrop of years of deterioration at some police residential facilities, with officers and their families forced to live in buildings suffering from structural decay and poor maintenance.

“I am not very happy with the situation they are in now. Our officers are enthusiastic. They have been quite patient many times,” the IGP said.

He stressed that decent housing is crucial to effective policing, saying officers who risk their lives to protect Nigerians deserve comfortable homes where they can rest after carrying out duties.

Disu said police are targeting December to January for some officers to begin moving into newly completed housing, although he acknowledged delays in several projects.

In Falomo, he ordered action to clear the former barracks area of ​​unauthorized occupants and made public plans to redesign and modernize the police hospital, including its equipment and infrastructure.

He assured officers affected by the redevelopment that they would not be left behind, promising housing benefits and exploring construction in phases to allow staff to remain on site while new blocks are built.

The IGP also said the police will leverage mortgage agreements and facilities of the Federal Mortgage Bank to expand housing opportunities, especially for junior officers.

The Lagos State Government, through the Special Adviser on Works and Housing, Toke Benson, has said it is working with the police and private developers to fast-track the projects, targeting 1,000 housing units in Ije by next year.

Planned projects include Ije, Falomo, MOPOL 20, Highway, K9, Bar Beach, Iponri and Queen’s Barracks.

For thousands of officers and their families, redevelopment offers hope of ending years of living in increasingly deteriorating police housing.