News Rendezvous

– As Adamawa Lawmaker Raises Alarm Over Massive Internal Displacement of Police Officers in the Country

• Raises Motion for Inquiry into the Management of Police Trust Funds

The member representing Numan, Demsa and Lamurde at the federal house of representatives, Kwamoti Laori, has raised the alarm on matter of urgent public concerning and national security, calling on the public and the leadership of national assembly, to halt the ongoing massive internal displacement of police officers in the country.

Kwamoti warned that the ongoing eviction of police officers across 25 barracks in Lagos alone and several other barracks in the country under the pretense of renovations could result in catastrophic security backlash unless the matter is addressed.

Kwamoti Loati made this known in a presa release made available to News Rendezvous over the weekend in Yola, Adamawa state.

The lawmaker decried that despite the creation of the Police Trust Fund in 2019 with the mandate to renovate and build residential areas for men and women of the force, the end of the fund has not been met as most barracks in the country still lie in ruins.

He pointed out that since the establishment of the fund, over N5billion is said to have been disbursed for renovations of police residential areas across the country although no evidence on geound suport the claim.

Kwamoti said, “There is a huge question mark hanging over the essence for the creation of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund in 2019 as enshrined in Section 5 (e) of the Nigerians Police Trust Fund (Establishment) ACT 2019 as the law saddled the fund’s with the responsibility for the construction of police stations, provision of living facilities, such as quarters or barracks for the Nigeria Police Force.

“Of paramount importance within the law establishing the fund is the welfare of the officers and men of the force and so far that need has not been met yet.

“The Law Creating The Police Trust Fund will go into extinction in one year (2025) unless something urgent is done about it.”

“After five years of existence, there is no visible structure or concrete expenditure supporting the essence of police welfare as prescribed in the Police Trust Fund Establishment ACT 2019

“And after Consistent budgetary allocations of over N5billion, barracks have not been built, existing ones have not been renovated or refurbished and that is unacceptable,” the Adamawa lawmaker queried.

Kwamoti contested that, “The order evicting police officers from their residence across 25 barracks under the pretense of renovations, must be stopped with immediate effect in view of the economic reality of the country and the grave implications of such action on the internal security of country.”

He put forward that these attempts to cause chaos within the ranks of the lead forces in maintaining internal security in the country must be seen as an affront to the country’s national security. He said, “Their is the urgent need to investigate the Nigerian police force and suspend orders by various IGPs to auction existing barracks without providing alternative, suitable and befitting accommodation for the gallant men and women of the force.

“With just one year before the law becomes extinct, it is pertinent that the funds remitted towards the welfare of the officers and men be account for, contracts awards under the funds be recovered and channeled for the welfare of personnel, for an immediate reform of the law and reconstitution of its managers in order to serve the purpose of the creation of the fund and hold accountable any case(s) of misappropriation of funds in order to prevent further dampening of the morale of officers across the country.”

The lawmaker called for “The order by a former IGP for the eviction of officers across 25 barracks must be revoked in order to avoid the ugly headlines and news stories of our gallant officers and men becoming a huge chunk of the internally displaced persons in the country.

“An investigation to be launched and where applicable, invition extended to the antigraft agencies, to look into tge supposedly claims of N5billion naira expenditure on renovations of barracks from 2019 to date while evidence suggests that most barracks are still in ruins and dilapidated.”

Furthermore, he challenged that, “The case of former IGPs, some officers of the Nigeria Police Mortgage Bank and an estate developer, Messrs. Copran International Limited already in the Federal High Court Abuja over allegations of illegal sales of property designated for police barracks across the country must be pursued to its logical conclusion.

“And that following the directive that led to the eviction of Police Officers from their barracks in Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Officers Quarters Ikeja – GRA, Officers Mess at Zone 2, Onikan and the DIGs quarters in Maitama, Abuja, without any evidence of the said renovation or reconstruction while officers remain displaced across the country, the directive should be looked into and revoked as it is pointing to be another ploy by unpatriotic Nigerians to auction-off the property against the plight of police personnel.”
The lawmaker had earlier on the 11th of July, 2024, moved a motion on the floor of the house making three prayers, firstly, he prayed for the house to stop the planned eviction of millions of police personnel from their barracks for the purpose of renovation and reconstruction or remodeling under any Public Private Partnership forthwith pending investigation into previous attempts to implement such policy by former IGPs; secondly, he prayed for the house to mandate the House Committee on Police Affairs to review the report of the Ad- Hoc Committee mandated to produce a comprehensive addendum to Police Reform Bill constituted in October, 2023, as well as previous resolution of the House on the subject matter with the view to advise on the best strategy for implementing the policy to prevent rendering police officers and their families internally displaced persons and its attendant implications, considering the cholera outbreak in some states affected by the policy and the economic hardship being experienced throughout the country; and thirdly he also prayed for the House of Representatives to Mandate the Committee on Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and report within four weeks for further legislative action.