A security expert and analyst, Mr Matthew Ibadin, has called on the federal government to allocate the 753-unit housing estate allegedly recovered in Abuja recently from the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, to officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.
Ibadin, in a statement made available to journalists in Lagos, urged the federal government not to go on with the intended sale of the buildings to members of the public since politicians would likely hijack the process by buying the same by proxy.
According to the security analyst, officers of the Nigeria Police Force have not been well catered for in spite of the fact that the Force remains the first line of defence in internal security.
He said, “Police officers are the first line of defence in maintaining internal security, yet many operate under extremely harsh conditions. In some cases, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) sleep in their offices due to lack of accommodation.
“Officers in investigation and operations units often return from field duty without a place to rest. Several police barracks across the country are currently under renovation or have been demolished, leaving many personnel displaced and without shelter.
“More so, several police officers often die in the line of duty leaving their families without accommodation where they can continue their lives. This is one of the reasons insecurity keeps escalating because officers and men in the field are not ready to take bullets since they are not sure that their families would be taken care of, in case of death in line of duty.
“This housing estate offers a timely and practical solution. It can serve as transitional or permanent accommodation for officers in need – especially those patrolling highways or posted to high-risk zones.
“Allocating this estate to the Nigeria Police would not only address urgent welfare needs but also strengthen morale, operational effectiveness, and ultimately, national security since police is the only security agency where officers and men do not have closing time.
“Police often work 24 hours unlike its sister agencies that have resumption and closing time. We should appreciate the police.”
A few days ago, the government had announced that the Federal Ministry of Housing would embark on public sale of the housing units, assuring that the process would be transparent.
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