Rainstorm wreaks havoc on Ogun Police HQ

…as Amosun promises relief materials

From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

A heavy rain-storm on Sunday wrecked havoc on major offices of the Ogun State Police Command, Abeokuta; the Ogun State capital with many of its barracks as well as documents and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

The sections of the command affected included the Department of Operations, some parts of the Department of Criminal Investigation, pay office and almost twenty buildings in the Eleweran barracks.

The Commissioner of Police Ogun State Command, Ikemefuna Okoye who visited the command headquarters immediately after the incident described it as unfortunate and painful particularly the havoc done to the residences of some police personnel in the barracks.

He assured the affected personnel to be calm as all efforts will be made to accord them palliative measures and aides to replace some of the damaged property.

Meanwhile, in less than 24 hours after the rain storm caused havoc at the state police command headquarters, Eleweren, Abeokuta, the Ogun State government has expressed its readiness to assist the State Command of the Nigeria Police Force to cushion the effect of a heavy rainstorm which destroyed properties worth millions of naira at its command headquarters.

The Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa stated this yesterday when he led a Government delegation to assess the extent of damage.

The State scribe who hinted that the visit was at the instance of the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, described the incident as sad and unfortunate.

He noted that the provision of relief to the Command and particularly people whose places of official abodes were destroyed should ordinarily be the responsibility of the Federal Government, explaining that the State Government, as a responsive and responsible government would immediately take steps to help them..

Barrister Adeoluwa charged the Command to embrace the use of Information and Communication Technology as well as deploy the use of water proof cabinets to store vital documents as a way of minimizing loss arising from such incident.

Responding, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye expressed appreciation to the State government for its“rapid response” and the promise, saying the Command has been further encouraged by the gesture.

The Police boss also assured residents of the State that the disaster would not have any negative effect on the operations of his men as the Command was always ready to provide security for the teeming populace.

Properties worth millions of naira were said to have been destroyed by the rainstorm which reportedly started around 4pm in the evening and lasted for about 2 hours.It destroyed buildings, documents and equipment at the operational base of the Command and the barracks.