Lagos — Investigations conducted by PMNews have revealed that police barracks in Lagos State have become dens for robbers and other criminals, causing serious concern to police authorities.

Following the rampant cases of pilfering and other reported criminal activities in the police barracks, the Inspector-General of police, Mr. Musiliu Smith, has ordered that civilian tenants in police barracks be evacuated.

Police barracks for a long time have been playing host to criminals who hybernate there while engaging in criminal activities outside the barracks. Some of the civilians, it was gathered, are relations and offsprings of policemen who are adults.

Cases of pilfering and other criminal activities are common in police barracks. P.M.News investigations show that police barracks in Ikeja, Obalende, Ikoyi and Ijora have been literally invaded by such men with suspicous characters, who are said to use the mammy markets in the barracks as their meeting points.

Last week, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr.

Musiliu Smith, warned policemen against the criminal leasing of police quarters in the barracks to civilians at exorbitant rate despite the the inadequacy of accomodation for policemen.

Investigation showed that some policemen who are fortunate to secure two-bedroom apartments in the barracks later lease rooms to civilians and collect high fees.

Some of the civilians are said to be bandits who hide under the protection of the police barracks to commit heinous crimes.

"It has come to my notice that unscrupulous policemen have formed the habit of leasing their apartments to civilians for a fee while their counterparts are languishing outside the barracks," the IG said, warning that a serious disciplinary action awaits defaulters.