Armed Policemen Monitor Demolition of POWA Complex
A demolition exercise has been carried out at the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) Complex in Ikeja, Lagos.
Some videos sighted by our correspondent showed several police vans and heavily armed operatives of the Nigeria Police Force at the location of the POWA complex while the demolition took place.
The aftermath of the exercise showed scavengers picking iron materials and scraps from the rubble left of the shopping complex after being demolished.
According to an eyewitness, the exercise occurred while many traders with goods and belongings in the complex were away from Lagos for the Christmas holidays.
Reports show that the traders had been given a 24-hour eviction notice in addition to notices issued since 2019.
Police Give Reason for POWA Complex Demolition
In a statement on Saturday, the Police stated that the demolition of the shopping complex which belongs to the wives of police officers was to allow the “immediate construction of a modern shopping complex on the same land”.
The statement was signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
It read in part, “The decision to demolish and reconstruct is predicated on the fact that professional opinion indicates that the structure as it is constitutes a looming environmental hazard, as the site is prone to flood, and may be susceptible to sudden collapse, hence the need for immediate landscaping and reconstruction. The planned demolition and reconstruction will be in phases and are in good faith for the betterment of all concerned.
“All necessary legal requirements have been duly met. The current occupants of the complex have been given more than enough notice of the demolition to enable their evacuation from the facility in good time, and necessary steps have been taken to temporarily accommodate them within the same complex while the reconstruction lasts. Equally, the relevant Lagos State Government agency, according to its expert advice, has been approached, required help sought, and necessary approvals for demolition obtained.
“While the demolition will proceed as planned, Nigerians are hereby urged to disregard frivolous claims, unsubstantiated protests, and media blackmail alleging wrongdoing and illegality on the part of the Force or the POWA. The Police and its affiliates, like the POWA, will always be committed to better welfare and standard of living for its personnel and their families.”
