One of the buildings
An Assistant Superintendent of Police, who lives in police college barracks, Ikeja, Lagos State, has likened his family’s stay in the college over the past five months to a sojourn in a refugee camp.
The officer, who did not want his name in print for fear of being dismissed, said they had been suffering from one ill health or another, since they were moved into one of the dormitories in the barracks. Apart from the family, it was learnt that some residents had contracted cholera because of the unhygienic nature of the surroundings.
PUNCH Metro gathered that about 54 families living in two buildings on the college premises were relocated to four dormitories in September 2014 when the renovation of the quarters began.
The officer was one of the lodgers, who were worried about the college authority’s refusal to move them back to the buildings since December when the renovation was reportedly completed.
It was gathered that the authorities had told the residents to endure in the dormitories till after the forthcoming elections when the buildings would be inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The surroundings of the dormitories were filled with bushes when our correspondent visited the college on Tuesday. Household items, said to have been evacuated from the buildings, littered the premises.
“We have not been comfortable since we have been relocated. We have been living like refugees. We are about 40 in a dormitory. All the four dormitories are crowded. Our belongings have been destroyed outside because of rain. Hardly a month goes by when any of my family members will not fall sick. One of my children was admitted at a hospital last month for malaria. For the past one month now, we don’t have power supply and mosquitoes here are terrible,” the officer said.
A woman, who identified herself simply as Mama Blessing, said she and nine others suffered from cholera in February. She said a doctor had advised that the ambience of the dormitory was not conducive for the residents, especially the children.
She said, “My husband and I with our two children have to manage the small portion provided for us in the dormitory. Ten of us were at cottage hospital last month. The doctor treated us for cholera. I learnt that he met with the college commandant and advised that we should vacate the dormitories immediately. Living here has been difficult, especially with my baby. Thirteen families occupy a dormitory. The commandant said we have to wait till after elections when the president will open the buildings so we can move in.”
A policewoman, who also wanted to be anonymous, affirmed that all was not well in the dormitories.
The college Public Relations Officer, ASP Raphael Irowainu, however, said the buildings were still under renovation.
He said, “Generally, the college is still undergoing renovation. That the buildings will be opened after elections is not true at all. The renovated property has not been handed over to the police. Even the commandant is using his residential quatres as his office. The college management is trying as much as possible to make things easy for the officers. There is no case of cholera in the college.”
BY AFEEZ HANAFI
