Allocate Recovered 753-Unit Housing Estate to Police, Security Expert Urges FG

Chiemelie Ezeobi

A security practitioner and analyst, Mr Matthew Ibadin, has called on the Federal Government to allocate the recently recovered 753-unit housing estate in Abuja—seized from the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele—to officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.

In a press statement made available to THISDAY, Ibadin urged the Federal Government to abandon plans to sell the buildings to members of the public, warning that politicians would likely hijack the process by purchasing units through proxies.

According to the security expert, members of the Nigeria Police Force have been poorly catered for despite the Force being the frontline defence for 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.

“Moreover, 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 the line of duty.”

He added:“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 the police are the only security agency where officers and men do not have a closing time.

“Police often work 24 hours, unlike sister agencies that have resumption and closing times. We should appreciate the police.”

A few days ago, the government announced that the Federal Ministry of Housing would embark on public sales of the housing units, assuring that the process would be transparent.

Despite this assurance, Ibadin noted that such promises are hollow, as the buildings would likely not reach the needy but instead end up in the hands of oppressive politicians who are not tired of primitive accumulation.

He decried a situation where many in the political class are amassing wealth at public expense in a country where many officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies live in dilapidated barracks.