Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, 19 December, 2024, performed the groundbreaking of 2,200 Police housing units at Ijeh Police Barracks, Ikoyi, Lagos, in line with his administration’s commitment to the welfare of security personnel and safeguarding the lives and properties of the citizens.
He said the housing project, which is in partnership with the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force, is a step forward in the Government’s efforts toward strengthening the morale and productivity of the security personnel and ensuring that they remain focused on their critical role of keeping Lagos safe.
The project will consist of commercial and residential properties of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, maisonettes and townhouse units with paved roads, drainages, sewage tanks, water treatment plant, street lights, car park and electrification plants, among others.
The modern housing units will feature state-of-the-art facilities, offering comfort, safety, and a conducive environment for the men and women of the Nigeria Police Force and their families.
Speaking during the groundbreaking attended by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the collaboration brought together the Nigeria Police Force and Lagos State to create a joint venture that aligns public needs with private-sector efficiency and redefines the standard of living for police officers.
He said the redevelopment of the Police Barrack is in tandem with his administration’s wider socio-economic objectives for the development and revitalisation of the State in ensuring that quantitative, decent, affordable residential, industrial and housing units are available for Lagosians in line with his administration’s THEMES+ agenda.
The Governor, who assured that the project would be completed in the next two years to ensure Police officers in Lagos live in a conducive and comfortable environment to discharge their duties efficiently, urged other State governments to emulate the template to rebuild all Police barracks across the country.
He said: “This transformative redevelopment project to provide 2,200 modern housing units at the Ijeh Police Barracks, Obalende, is part of an intervention aimed at bridging the housing deficit and providing modern, safe housing and a conducive living environment for the officers of the Nigeria Police Force and their families all over the country.
“We have been constructing housing units in various locations within the State to enhance our contribution towards the achievement of the Urban Renewal Initiative, and now with the redevelopment of the Nigeria Police Barracks, we are happy that no one will be left behind when it comes to the provision of adequate housing. Addressing this challenge required innovation and partnerships.
“This project reaffirms our commitment to building a Lagos that works for everyone. It is a Lagos where security personnel, who dedicate their lives to our safety, can live together with their families in unity and with dignity and pride.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his unwavering commitment to the project and championing welfare reforms for the men and women under his command.
Speaking earlier, the Inspector General of Police, who was excited about the housing project, acknowledged that most Police barracks across the country are in dilapidated states as they were constructed over 50 years ago.
Commending the Lagos State Government for the initiative at boosting the morale of security personnel in the state, Egbetokun expressed optimism that the new Police housing units would motivate officers to serve Lagosians more efficiently with a promise to personally supervise the project.
“The construction of the new barracks, which groundbreaking ceremony is taking place here today in Lagos, is a testament to our commitment to providing our officers with a safe, comfortable, and modern living environment.
“This new facility will not only improve the welfare of our officers but also enhance their ability to serve and protect our community,” Egbetokun said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on e-GIS, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, disclosed that 4,400 Police officers evacuated from the demolished barracks have been compensated and relocated to safe abodes pending when the project is completed.
