The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has promised to tackle the housing deficit confronting police personnel, particularly officers in the rank-and-file.
Disu made the commitment during an inspection tour of police barracks and housing projects in Lagos State over the weekend, where he said the Nigeria Police Force would maximise funds available through the Police Mortgage Bank and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria to address the accommodation needs of its personnel.
The IGP said the Force was already engaging strategic partners to unlock mortgage financing and other funding opportunities for the construction of affordable and decent homes for police officers.
“We have a lot of money in the Police Mortgage, in the Federal Mortgage Bank, and we should take full advantage of it,” he told journalists.
Disu said priority would be given to junior officers because they constitute the bulk of personnel deployed daily for policing duties across the country.
He explained that access to decent accommodation was not merely a welfare issue but also an important component of police effectiveness, noting that officers needed a stable environment where they could rest and prepare for the demanding task of protecting lives and property.
The IGP said the Force would work with private developers and other partners to convert available financing opportunities into actual housing projects rather than allow funds earmarked for police accommodation to remain underutilised.
During the inspection tour, Disu expressed concern over the condition of some police barracks visited, noting that several structures had become severely dilapidated after decades of use and would need to be demolished to pave the way for modern developments.
The inspection covered parts of Ikeja and Lagos Island, with the IGP saying the condition of some projects and the pace of their execution required urgent attention.
He said the visit was aimed at personally assessing the projects, engaging development partners and identifying the challenges responsible for delays in their completion.
Disu acknowledged the support of the Lagos State Government, describing the partnership as critical to ongoing efforts to improve police accommodation in the state.
He also disclosed plans to redevelop the Falomo Police Hospital by upgrading its facilities and equipment as part of a broader effort to improve welfare infrastructure for police personnel.
According to him, some abandoned portions of former barracks had become occupied by unauthorised persons following the demolition of old structures and delays in commencing redevelopment.
The IGP said the Force would immediately take steps to reclaim its properties and prevent further encroachment, invoking the Broken Windows Theory to explain how neglected public facilities could become vulnerable to further deterioration and illegal occupation.
On the relocation of officers and their families during reconstruction, Disu said the Force would conduct a comprehensive headcount and provide appropriate relocation allowances to affected occupants.
He explained that the strategy would also involve phased construction in large barracks, allowing new buildings to be developed in available spaces while existing occupants remain nearby before eventually moving into completed units.
According to him, the approach would help build confidence among personnel and reassure them that the barracks were being redeveloped for their benefit rather than being sold or converted to other uses.
The IGP expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of some projects but said he was optimistic that portions of the Ikeja development could become habitable by December or January, subject to the completion schedule agreed with the developers.
He promised to make regular visits to Lagos to monitor progress and ensure that contractors and development partners remained focused on delivering the projects.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said the state’s partnership with the police was designed to combine government support with private-sector equity to deliver modern accommodation for police personnel.
Benson-Awoyinka, who said the initiative began while she was Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, explained that the state decided to extend its housing intervention to police officers because of their critical role in maintaining security.
She said the project had experienced delays arising from headcounts, relocation, demolition, illegal shops and other challenges associated with securing vacant possession.
However, she disclosed that full possession had now been secured at Ijeh Barracks.
The commissioner said the Lagos State Government was working with private developers to accelerate the redevelopment, adding that the swampy nature of some project sites had also required land reclamation and careful engineering to prevent structural failures.
Benson-Awoyinka expressed optimism that about 1,000 housing units could be completed and ready for occupation by police officers at Ijeh Barracks by February 2027.
She assured that the state government would continue to work closely with the police and private developers to deliver the housing project.
