Following this, there are fears that no fewer than a million officers and men
of the force and their families would be ejected from the barracks to give way
for the commencement of works at the barracks.
Already, a directive to that effect had been issued to those that would be
affected by the exercise, while stern directives had been given to the Nigeria
Police Force Property Development and Construction Company to commence phase 1
of the reconstruction exercise in the affected barracks.
An official directive to that effect sighted byVanguard dated May 15, 2024,
stated that the execution of the barracks redevelopment programme in Lagos
would cover the following barracks: Ijeh Police barracks, Bourdillion
barracks, Falomo; Police Mounted Troops- Ribadu, Ikoyi; Alausa police
barracks, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja; Federal Highway Patrol barracks, Yaba
and Iponri Police barracks, Surulere.
The directive further said: “Payment of compensation to verified occupants of
the listed barracks will commence immediately ahead of demolition of
dilapidated structures and that the exercise is to pave way for the
construction of new structures which will commence in earnest.”
It also said personnel should be deployed to work closely with the company
officials and their partners to ensure that every occupant vacates the
barracks as soon as they are paid their dues and they should ensure completion
of the process on or before May 30, 2024, to ensure that developers move to
sites.
Some of the affected policemen that spoke with Vanguard lamented that such
exercises had been carried out in the past, especially whenever the date for
the tenure of a serving Inspector-General of Police approaches.
According to the policemen who insisted on remaining anonymous for security of
their jobs, the police barracks at Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, officers
quarters in Ikeja GRA, Officers Mess at Zone 2, Onikan suffered same fate at
the expiration of the tenure of the Inspectors General of Police that served
in the past.
Contacted, Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said a text message
should be sent to him. However, at press time, he was yet to reply to the text
message sent to him.
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