Kehinde Fajobi
The Senate Public Accounts Committee has raised concerns about the Nigeria Police Force, citing financial discrepancies and missing firearms during a review of the Auditor-General’s report.
On Tuesday, February 11, the lawmakers were informed of eight infractions, including ₦1.136 billion in contract irregularities and the disappearance of over 3,900 firearms, including AK-47 rifles.
These weapons are feared to be in the possession of criminal elements.
Assistant Inspector General of Police (Budget), Abdul Suleiman, reassured the committee that the police had appropriately addressed the audit queries.
However, tensions rose when lawmakers disagreed on how to proceed with the investigation.
Senator Ningi requested an executive session to discuss the matter privately but stormed out after the proposal was denied.
The committee chairman insisted on public accountability, particularly regarding the missing firearms, which he deemed a matter of national security.
The AIG, however, requested discretion, arguing that the issue of police firepower should not be publicly discussed.
“The police will not allow these weapons to go missing at any cost, but this is a security matter best discussed privately,” he stated.
Despite his objections, the majority of lawmakers, including Senators Victor Umeh and Joel Onawakpo-Thomas, supported the chairman’s demand for transparency.
Senator Umeh criticised the police for not recovering the missing weapons amidst rising insecurity.
READ ALSO: Senate condemns invasion of Odili’s home, seeks open probe
“Thousands of AK-47s are missing at a time when insecurity is at its peak. The police should have been able to trace these arms. If over 3,900 rifles are unaccounted for, it means our security is compromised.
“Claiming it’s a ‘security issue’ without providing answers only raises more concerns,” Umeh argued.
Following a voice vote, the session continued openly, with the police explaining that some weapons had been taken from officers killed in the line of duty.
However, the committee expressed dissatisfaction with these explanations and has summoned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to appear again before the committee on Monday.