The Inspector General of Police, IG Mohammed Adamu, yesterday vowed that the police would arrest the arsonists involved in the inferno that razed the house of Chief Sunday Igboho in Ibadan, Oyo State last Tuesday.
This is just as he called on Nigerians with credible information about the perpetrators to avail the police with the necessary intelligence.
The IG made this pledge at the inauguration of the Senior Police Officer (SPOs) Quarters, in Ikeja, Lagos.
While condemning the action of the arsonists, he said it was a criminal act, thus the law would take its course on the perpetrators when arrested.
He said: “Anybody that goes to burn anybody’s property, it is nothing but criminal. We have already asked our men to fish out whoever did that and the person will be punished.
“ We have laws in this country and we must respect them. If anybody goes foul of the law, he must be punished.
“Every citizen of this country has a responsibility to this country too. Therefore, those who have information on the arsonists should come out and give it to the police to enable the police to do their job.”
The commissioned SPO’s building which is a block of 10 flats, with a twin one still under construction according to him, was part of the welfare package for policemen.
He said: “The welfare of our officers and men is paramount. We are out for redevelopment, renovation and reconstruction of all barracks across the country.
“What you are seeing today, is one of those initiatives to redevelop our existing barracks and allow our officers to get a befitting place to stay.
“We are assuring our officers that with the federal government’s initiative of Public/Private Partnership, we will develop all our barracks in the country. We will build and sell to our officers through mortgage at a lower price. This is in addition to their official residents”.
Executive Director, Black Cora Concept Limited, Alhaji Abubakar Seidu, disclosed that the new building was constructed in nine months, adding that eight additional ones would be completed in 36 months.
He explained that, “we have finished and completed this one for immediate occupation and it is being assigned to officers who will vacate their precious place, in houses similar to this one, which were built over 58 years ago and have virtually run down .
“Once we relocate them, we demolish their previous place and build a new one in replacement. So the entirety of this pace is going to be fully redeveloped into more spacious, habitable three bed room luxury flat in blocks of 10, a total of 80.
“This is for the benefit of the Nigeria Police Force, with the hope that the people who save guard our lives and property will leave home every day, and have a befitting accommodation to come back to. Hopefully, it will serve as an added incentive to them, to do the job better. That was the entire concept.”

By Chidinma Uchechukwumgemezu