Nigerian Police Force is currently grappling with a significant housing shortage for its members across all ranks, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has disclosed.

Egbetokun made the disclosure at the first Nigeria Police Housing Summit held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.

The IGP, therefore, sought the establishment of a N100Billion police housing fund.

According to Egbetokun, presently, housing capacity meets only about 10% of the needs of more than ‘400,000 strong workforce’.

He hinted that years of neglect have rendered existing barracks accommodations largely inadequate, failing to meet the demands of modern 21st-century policing.

“Upon my appointment as Inspector General of Police, I identified the welfare of our personnel as a cornerstone of my administration. A key aspect of enhancing our officers’ conditions is the provision of appropriate housing during and after their service.

“This task is monumental, as the Nigerian Police Force currently grapples with a significant housing shortage for its members across all ranks.

“In the past, the Nigerian Police Force has launched initiatives aimed at addressing these shortfalls, including the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force Property Development and Construction Co Ltd and forging partnerships with various state governments, government bodies, sister organizations, and private sector developers.

“Unfortunately, the impact of these efforts has been minimal, highlighting the urgent need for a strategic reassessment and a revamp of our execution framework to adequately meet our officers’ housing needs.

“Today marks the launch of the inaugural Nigerian Police Housing Summit. Under the theme “Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria,” and supported by sub-themes such as “Accessible Housing: An Indispensable Welfare Tool” and “Pragmatic Solutions for Police Housing,” this summit is envisioned as a critical platform for discussing and developing strategies to realize our goal of providing accessible and affordable housing to our officers and men.

“This premier event also aims to foster comprehensive solutions for the swift delivery of quality, cost-effective housing solutions, both rental and owned, for our force members, active and retired.

“The objectives of the Nigerian Police Housing Summit 2024 are manifold:To articulate a vision of ‘effective and efficient’ housing as an essential tool for the welfare of the Nigerian Police Force’s men and officers.To create a dynamic interactive platform that brings together key stakeholders in the housing sector, fostering collaboration towards achieving our housing vision amongst others.”

He added: “A critical discussion point will be the establishment of a 100 billion Naira Police Housing Fund. Preliminary assessments are underway, and engagements with key players and institutions have begun. The experts and facilitators gathered here today will play a crucial role in refining our strategies and ideas.

“We firmly believe that our men and officers deserve better, and the current state of affairs offers little hope for meeting their housing needs effectively.

“Today, we take a significant step towards realizing our new vision and expanding opportunities for home ownership among our ranks.”

Present at the event were the Minister of Housing, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, the Chairman Police Service Commission, Dr Solomon Arase, all the deputy Inspectors-General of police and other stakeholders in the housing sector of Nigeria’s economy.