It was a sad day for the families of dead officers at the Police Mobile Force, 20 Squadron (MOPOL 20), Ikeja as they were forcefully ejected from the barracks on Saturday, May 31, 2014.
Acording to reports, some of these widows who lost their husbands for more than 3 years during active service are yet to receive their husbands death benefits.
The widows complained bitterly about the harsh treatment meted out to them by the force saying it showed no sense of human sympathy as they were stranded and had no other place to go to.
PM News reports:
The personal belongings of an ejected widow
Widows and children of dead officers living at the Police Mobile Force, 20 Squadron (MOPOL 20), Ikeja, wept Saturday after they were thrown out of the barracks after a short notice.
At least 10 widows and their children were evicted with their belongings littering the premises of the barracks.
The children and women interviewed by P.M.NEWS said it was a case of inhumanity.
Some of them who lost their husbands in active service about three to five years ago, said they could not pack out of the barracks because their husbandss entitlements have not been paid.
“Where do they expect us to get money to rent an accommodation when we have not been paid our late husbands’ entitlements? Some our children are out of school because there is no money to continue their education. Some who have completed secondary school but cannot further,” a widow quizzed.
“We struggle to feed them, now the police authorities have thrown us out,” another said.
When P.M.NEWS visited the barracks on Sunday afternoon after the heavy rain, some of the paraphernalia of the victims were seen inside water as the victims could not find refuge elsewhere.
Another victim who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were given only three days notice to pack out. “On Saturday morning a truck load of mobile policemen came and forced them out.
A copy of the quit notice signed by Usman M. Nasarawa, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP and O/C PMF 20 Provost, for Commanding Officer, Police Mobile Force, 20 Squadron, Ikeja, dated 28 May, 2014 and made available to P.M. NEWS reads:
“It has come to my notice that despite the fact that you have been transferred/demobbed/retired from the Squadren/Force long ago, you are still occupying the Squadron’s official quarters/barracks which your continuous occupation of this quarters is illegal and contrary to IGP’s circular Ref. No. CH: 7970/FS/148 of 30th January, 1990 and CH: 7700?PER?FHQ?ABJ.T/1 Dated 22nd October,1999.You are therefore given up to 30th May, 2014 i.e. three days to vacate your quarters or you will be forcefully ejected after expiration of this notice.”
Efforts to reach both the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Police Command, Umar Manko and the Command’s Public Relations Officer Ngozi Braide for comments were not fruitful as their lines were not connecting.
