The Federal Executive Council has approved the collaboration between Cosgrove Investment Limited and the Nigeria Police for the Redevelopment of DIG Quarters, Maitama, Abuja, under a design-finance-build-lease-and-transfer model of Public Private Partnership (PPP). In view of the approval, Nigeria’s leading smart homes development company – Cosgrove kickstarts the Redevelopment of Smart Gated Homes under a PPP with the Nigeria Police Force.
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, who performed the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Redevelopment of the DIG Quarters on Thursday, in Abuja said Cosgrove earned the confidence of the Police Management Team after painstaking scrutiny of competent real estate development companies that came forward for the offer, adding that Cosgrove has a track record of quality delivery attainable anywhere in the world and was therefore entrusted with the complex task.
The chosen PPP arrangement is a Design, Finance, Build, Lease, and Transfer property.
The Inspector General expressed confidence in the technical expertise and financial capability of Cosgrove Investment Limited to deliver a world-class smart gated community of six-bedroom villas for senior officers of the Police Management Team.
Cosgrove is Nigeria’s technology-inclined real estate development company that gained public confidence after successfully building the Cosgrove Smart Estates at Wuye, Mabushi and Guzape, which are all fully automated estates in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Discussing the strategic importance of the Redevelopment project, the Inspector General described the M.D. Yusuf Quarters (also known as DIG Quarters) as the ‘highest police quarters nationwide in terms of luxury, serenity and proximity to the Force Headquarters,’ adding that it is one of the oldest buildings of the Nigeria Police constructed in Abuja to accommodate its senior officers.
Speaking further on the challenges that necessitated the Redevelopment Project, the Inspector General recalled his experience while resident of the quarters saying: “I was privileged to live in this estate for two years while I was Force Secretary, and I recall how I suffered as a result of the state of infrastructure. I had to look for bowls and dishes to place where leakages were pouring from.”
He further recalled that at the time, the Managing Director of the Police Construction company, who is now retired, was a neighbor. He said the then Managing Director had to take shelter in his house because everything about the house he occupied had become old, archaic, non-functional, and in need of redevelopment.
IGP Usman Alkali Baba emphasized the need for senior police officers to live in befitting homes, stating that some houses have already been built for junior staff and other ranks in the police through collaboration with other estate developers.
He explained that in order to provide befitting homes for senior officers, the management embarked on a search for a competent and reliable construction company that could transform the M.D. Yusuf Quarters (which accommodates DIGs) into suitable homes for the top brass.
According to the Inspector General, after careful due diligence and inspection of the finished estates by Cosgrove around the FCT, the management concluded that Cosgrove Investment Limited is the best in providing the top notch accommodation that is befitting of the DIGs.
He expressed the desire for Cosgrove to consider imparting technical expertise in construction matters to the technical staff of the Police Construction Company, noting that the Police Construction Company needs to upscale its expertise in order to handle complex projects such as the redevelopment of M.D. Yusuf Quarters.
He explained that Nigeria Police aims to strengthen its own construction company to handle future projects.
Discussing the urgency and importance of addressing housing needs for members of the Police, the Inspector General said, ‘When I was shown the number of police quarters in Lagos that are branded as ‘unsafe structures’ as a result of the need to redevelop them, I was surprised because the structures are not befitting for even non-security officers, let alone officers of the Police.’
The Police Boss expressed confidence that the redevelopment projects of the Police Force across the federation are noble and laudable projects that the next administration and management would be willing to continue. He emphasized the commitment of the Police Management Team to providing suitable residences for junior police officers and personnel.
IGP Usman Alkali Baba commended the Minister of Police Affairs, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and the Ministry of Justice for their support. He also acknowledged the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) for diligently executing their respective statutory responsibilities which he said, led to the commencement of project execution.
Chairman/CEO of Cosgrove Investment Limited, Mr. Umar Abdullahi, described the groundbreaking ceremony as historic for Cosgrove and its stakeholders. He assured that the redevelopment of DIG Quarters would be impactful and he celebrated it as a monumental achievement of the company.
Mr. Abdullahi explained that Cosgrove diligently participated in the rigorous PPP process, which led to the groundbreaking ceremony.
He expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Police for conducting a technical evaluation of the proposal made by the company, and acknowledged the ICRC, the Ministry of Justice, and the FCT administration for their assessment and approval of the project.
He highlighted Cosgrove’s ideological foundation of doing things differently while meeting the housing needs of stakeholders.
The Chief Executive assured that the company would deliver the project in compliance with the signed PPP agreement, and use the best cutting-edge solutions for its completion.
Mr. Umar Abdullahi acknowledged the important role of police officers in national stability and their command of respect. He therefore emphasized that the project would be delivered using Cosgrove’s renowned innovative solutions. Once completed, the estate would adequately serve the Nigeria Police Force, and fulfil the need to provide befitting housing units for the DIGs.
While saying that the project would generate direct and indirect employment opportunities, as is customary for Cosgrove projects, Mr. Abdullahi said the company has a track record of providing skills training through apprenticeship programs, benefiting hundreds of Nigerians and mitigating social insecurity within the FCT.
The Chairman/CEO Cosgrove expressed appreciation for the Inspector General of Police’s commitment to the project and ensuring due process was followed. He thanked the Director General of ICRC and his team for their thorough assessments.
Furthermore, he extended gratitude to the FCT Minister for supporting the vision of the project through the establishment of a Technical Committee that ensured compliance with laws, guidelines, and the FCT master plan. He commended the Federal Government for creating an enabling environment for successful PPPs.
The redevelopment of DIG Quarters under the PPP arrangement with Cosgrove Investment Limited represents a significant step towards providing suitable housing for senior police officers. The project aims to improve the living conditions of police personnel and strengthen the technical capacity of the Police Construction Company.
With Cosgrove’s expertise and commitment, the Nigeria Police and the Federal Government can fulfill their obligation to provide modern and befitting accommodation for the top brass of the force.
