The House of Representatives has resolved to stop the planned eviction of police personnel from barracks for the purpose of renovation and reconstruction under a Public Private Partnership.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Kwamoti Laori (PDP Adamawa) during plenary on Thursday in Abuja.
Presenting the motion, he pleaded that such action should be suspended forthwith pending investigation into previous attempts to implement the policy by the former Inspector General of Police.
He said it was on record that more than N5 billion had been spent on renovation of barracks from 2019 till date without any visible impact or tangible result.
He added that Police officers and their families deserve conducive accommodation as against the current situation where they lived in dilapidated structures “only fit for lizards and reptiles”.
This, he said, was due to large cracks and leaking roofs.
According to him, the welfare of the gallant police officers had continued to deteriorate making it imperative for the matter of police housing to be revisited.
He said that the directives by a former I-G for personnel to vacate 25 police barracks in Lagos state for the purpose of renovation led to the displacement of thousands of serving police officers and their families.
He noted that such directive could cause a humanitarian situation, psychological pain and trauma that come with large human displacements as well as security consequences.
He said that there was a growing fear and distrust that the directive was just another ploy to sell-off the property not minding the plight of police personnel.
Adopting the motion, the House resolved that the House Committee on Police Affairs and Public Asset would review the report of the ad hoc Committee to produce a comprehensive addendum to Police Reform Bill constituted in October 2023.
It further added that previous resolutions of the House on the subject matter would be looked into.
It also mandated the House Committee on Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and report within four weeks for further legislative action.(NAN)
