The Senate Public Accounts Committee has raised serious concerns over multiple issues related to the Nigeria Police Force, including financial irregularities and missing firearms.
During a review of the Auditor-General’s report, lawmakers were informed of eight infractions recorded against the police including contract irregularities totalling ₦1.136 billion, as well as the disappearance of over 3,900 firearms, including AK-47 rifles, which are feared to be at large in the hands of criminal elements.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (Budget), ABDUL SULEIMAN, assured lawmakers that the police had responded to the audit queries appropriately, but pleaded for discretion, stating that discussions on police firepower should not be made public.
But the committee chairman insisted that the AIG disclose the whereabouts of the missing firearms, arguing that the issue is of national importance, and this was backed by the majority of lawmakers, including Senator VICTOR UMEH and Senator JOEL ONAWAKPO-THOMAS, who argued that “thousands of AK-47s are missing at a time when insecurity is at its peak.
However, the police further explained that some of the weapons were derived from officers killed while their weapons were carted away, saying that no arms were unaccounted for, but the Committee on Public Accounts declared dissatisfaction with the explanations, and again summoned the IGP to appear before it on Monday.
