The House of Representatives has recommended the auctioning of police barracks across Nigeria as a solution to the deplorable living conditions of police officers in the country. The resolution was reached following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance during the plenary session in Abuja.

Representative Murphy Omoruyi highlighted the passage of the Police Reform Bill 2020, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020, which aimed to address the living conditions of police officers. Despite significant spending on the renovation of police barracks between 2019 and 2022, these efforts have not yielded the desired results.

Omoruyi argued that the practice of housing police officers in secluded barracks was a colonial relic that needed to be abandoned. The deplorable living conditions of police officers have negatively impacted their morale, productivity, and public perception. The motion proposed replacing the barracks model with a "Housing Allowance" determined by rank, existing police salary structure, and location.

The House urged the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Police Affairs to collaborate with the Bureau of Public Enterprise to assess the value of federal-owned barracks nationwide and initiate a public offering for their auction. An ad hoc committee was formed to amend the Police Reform Bill, with input from relevant stakeholders, and the Committee on Appropriation was tasked with reallocating funds earmarked for barracks maintenance to ensure a befitting "Housing Allowance" for police officers. The committee is expected to report back within four weeks.