Scores of junior police officers in Lagos State Command are struggling to rent a decent apartment following the demolition of their barracks. This is because many landlords in the state have refused to rent their properties to the officers. Some of the officers, who spoke to Sunday Telegraph on the condition of anonymity, said the mention of ‘Police’ as their profession scares landlords.

This stigma has demoralized a lot of the personnel, who didn’t want to relocate out of Lagos after collecting N2 million each as compensation to rent a decent apartment. Some of the Policemen, who decided to stay back in Lagos, claimed they were doing it because of their children’s school, while some of them have relocated to their home town to continue their police work. Unfortunately, those who decided to stay back in Lagos are being stigmatized by the landlords, simply because of their profession. It was reported that the former Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Baba Usman, had on May 3, 2023, announced the proposed demolition, redevelopment and reconstruction of 25 barracks and facilities in compliance with the Lagos State government’s recommendations. The affected barracks are Ijeh barracks, Women Police barracks Obalende, Highway Patrol barracks, Ikeja, Falomo barracks, K9 Police barracks Ikoyi, Bar Beach barracks, Victoria Island, Mopol 20 barracks, Ikeja, Mounted Troop, Ribadu Road, Ikoyi and Queen barracks, Apapa. Others are FPRO annex Office and barracks at Ijora Olopa, Iponrin Police barracks, Surulere, Adekunle Police barracks, Yaba; Federal Highway Patrol, Yaba, Alausa Police barracks, Ikeja, Okesuna Police barracks, Obalende, Force Headquarters annex, Obalende, Bourdilion Police barracks, Ikoyi, New Staff Quarters Ikeja, Elere Police barracks, Agege, Onikan Officers Mess, Ikoyi and Police Special fraud Unit (PSFU), Milverton Street, Ikoyi. It was gathered that the action of the landlords have demoralized the Policemen from performing optimally well, because they have no place to rest after the hectic work of the day. This is coupled with their children, who are roaming around without going to school for fear of paying school fees twice in case they are relocating out of Lagos, Ijeh Barrack.

When Sunday Telegraph visited Ijeh Police barracks, some of the officers said the demolition and inability to rent apartments have affected their output. One of them said: “We are aware that the barracks will be demolished but the period the police authority is giving us to move out is short. The Ijeh barracks Obalende is housing about 1,000 people. The buildings in the barrack were defaced with cracked walls, leaky roofs, broken windows and doors, while the barracks lacked portable water, with poor sanitation. “Our children are not going to school anymore because we don’t want to pay school fees twice in case we are relocating out of Lagos to our home towns. Majority of us in Ijeh barracks are bitter. We are also doing our best to care for the buildings but the police hierarchy is doing less to improve our conditions because our work is strenuous one. “With the demolition, we, the officers in Lagos, are totally demoralized. We cannot concentrate on our work. Our mind is always with our family. We also heard that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun said we, the officers affected by the demolished barracks in Lagos shouldn’t be given transfer to either our state or any other parts of the country to continue our work, when we couldn’t get a decent apartment in Lagos. The Police hierarchy has declared total war on us in Lagos State. “How is it possible for us to be in Lagos while our family members are in other parts of the country? We will not concentrate. They are just chasing us out. Unfortunately, the project may not start this year. The N2 million that was given to us was not enough to get a decent apartment in a state like Lagos. Some of our colleagues, who went to Barracks in Ikorodu, Somolu, Onipanu, Fadeyi were not allowed to rent their apartments by the landlords of such houses.”

One week quit notice

A senior police officer in Ijeh barracks, who also didn’t want his name in print, said unfortunately, they were given one week to vacate the barracks while those who had left earlier at Force Headquarters annex barracks at Obalende were still stranded and had no place to sleep. He said the major challenge police are facing in Lagos now is that whenever they wanted to rent apartments, landlords didn’t give them because they are Policemen. “I am from Abuja but I don’t want to go back home with my family. I was about to pay the landlord at Obalende area when he asked me about my work and I told him I am a police officer. He claimed he had vowed never to rent his house to police. Unfortunately, I am not the only officer experiencing it in Lagos. Our women and children are suffering. “We, the police are suffering. Unlike our counterpart in the Army, some of my friends who are soldiers are making jest of me. It was true we were given N2million but in Lagos Island, what apartment can the money afford? Any decent apartment you can get on the Island is between N5 million to N4 million. We also heard that the N2million given to us is a loan from the police, which they promised to deduct from our salary when we are fully settled. “We also heard that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, directed that those of us who the demolition of barracks affected should not been given transfer letter to other commands. We have used the compensation given to us to transport our family to our home town.

Sincerely, I regret joining the Nigeria Police Force. I have also warned my children never to join the Nigeria Police Force. I also remember when my father warned me never to join the force but I joined it because of passion.” When our correspondent also visited the Force Headquarters annex barracks at Obalende, the barrack has been brought to down. Only few officers, who are yet to get apartment still remained in the demolished structure and their chairs and other items were outside in the rain. An officer, who spoke with our correspondent, said that the only buildings that were yet to go down in the barracks were the administrative blocks. “I begged the Oodua Peoples Congress members to guard the barracks to allow us stay till I get a decent apartment on the mainland, because I cannot afford Lagos Island apartments with N2million. “The OPC guards allowed me to go out early in the morning but they didn’t allow me in during the day. Even my children and wife don’t walk around during the day in the barracks. It is terrible situation for us. I have sacrificed a lot for the Nigeria Police Force, only for me to be going through this. “Unfortunately, it was not up to a month notice they gave us before they rolled in their caterpillars to bring down the buildings. I and my family always have our bath outside and defecate in some of the demolished structures because there is no more bathroom and toilet anymore in the barracks. “What I heard was that they wanted to build a standard barracks. I see increase in crime and criminality in Lagos if the numbers of Policemen from the various barracks leave Lagos. It will definitely breed crime. I pray there will not be mutiny in the force. If about 1,000 Policemen leave Lagos as a result of this issue, there would be insecurity, anarchy in the state. I hope police authority will find solution to all the problems confronting us.” Another distraught Officer told our correspondent that he had warned his children never to join the Nigeria Police Force, because there are a lot of problems confronting the force. He said those in the senior hierarchy in the force don’t treat them well, if you come to Ijeh barracks for example, “you think it’s a pig they are rearing inside because of the condition of the barracks; very dirty and unkempt place. “I remember when I was young, my father was begging me not to join police but what pushed me into it then was the passion I had for it.” “As I live in Ijeh barracks, I don’t allow my family members from my village to visit in the barracks because of the condition and the environment is very dirty. As I speak with you now, some of the estate close to us have started feeling the heat. They are afraid because they knew how we protected them during the EndSARS protests in the State. Majority of have used the money given to us to transport their families members back to our home town.”

Tears at Falomo Barracks

When our correspondent visited Falomo barracks, the first thing that greeted him was the empty barracks and silence. The Falomo barracks that was known for vibrancy has now become a ghost town after the demolition of the structure. It was observed that some of the woods removed from the destroyed structures had been sold out to some people who were busy taking them out of the barracks. It was reported that the demolish barracks had been recommended for demolition for not meeting up with the structural integrity test and for the officers to vacate the barracks is to give access for rebuilding activities. It was also gathered that under the 2024 proposed budget, the Ministry of Police Affairs has a budget of N938.7 billion, with N806.7 billion allocated as personnel cost, N62.4 billion for overhead and N69.6 billion to be spent on capital projects. The capital projects included some of the demolished barracks in Lagos. Specifically, ongoing assessment of police barracks nationwide is expected to cost N100,513,975 construction/ provision of police stations/ barracks will cost N5.77 billion while N1 stations/barracks will cost N5.77 billion while N1 billion is expected to be expended on rehabilitation/repairs of police stations/ barracks. An officer at the Federal Highway Patrol barracks, Ikeja, who pleaded for anonymity said: “I am not against relocation of officers but before the relocation, they should provide a conducive place for us to stay. The buildings are long overdue for renovation. “It has never been conducive living here but when you don’t get what you need, you have to manage what is provided. We come back from work to live in a place that is not conducive and it affects our work and delivery. This is Ikeja and if they are talking about relocation, they should consider that Ikeja is not Iyana Ipaja, Ikorodu or Oshodi.

“The N2million given to us cannot take us anywhere. Fine, they have not started demolition of our barracks yet but it’s part of those that will be demolished. Some of the officers have started taking their children, wives out of the barracks to their town. A place like Ikeja here you cannot get three bedroom flat for N1million. Even, I was able to pay the first one, who is going to pay subsequent ones for me with my little salary. My brother, it’s better I take my family home to start afresh again. I pray some of us don’t die of this stress.” Another officer said: “We have been living in this condition and the police authorities have been shying away from their responsibilities. I buy my own uniform; we take care of the buildings within the barracks. I am still studying and it’s not as if they care about my certificate, but I’m doing my best to upgrade myself.” Appalled by the sorry situations of the barracks, recently, lawmakers in the House of Representatives had demanded that the Federal Government auction the barracks across the country because they have turned to ‘squalour quarters’ despite the billions spent on renovating them. When contacted, the force Public Relations Officer (FPPRO), an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, didn’t respond to the message sent to him and also didn’t answer his phone calls, when he was called to confirm the story

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