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The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday, apologised to the Senate Public Accounts Committee for failing to honour previous invitations to respond to queries raised by the Auditor General of the Federation regarding the Nigeria Police Force.
Last week, the Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Wadada, had threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against Egbetokun if he continued to ignore the committee’s summons.
Speaking under oath before the committee, Egbetokun explained that his absence was due to the demands of his office and assured lawmakers that it would not happen again.
Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), who represented Wadada, accepted the apology, stating that Egbetokun’s appearance reaffirmed that no one is above the law.
At the committee’s request, Egbetokun introduced the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Police Accounts, Abdul Sulaiman, who will represent him in future committee hearings.
Meanwhile, the committee questioned Egbetokun—represented by AIG Abdul Sulaiman, who oversees accounts and budgets—over the alleged disappearance of 178,459 firearms.
According to the Auditor General of the Federation, Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, in his 2019 audit report before the Senate Committee, 178,459 firearms, mostly AK-47 rifles, were missing from Nigeria Police Force commands and formations across the country.
Of this number, 88,078 were AK-47 rifles, Chira said, as represented by Samuel Godwin.
The report added that as of January 2020, over 3,907 firearms were unaccounted for, based on the arms movement register and firearm records reviewed by the Auditor General’s office.
The committee reviewed multiple audit queries against the police, including a case of contract splitting involving N1.1bn.
Acting Committee Chairman, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North), expressed alarm over the missing weapons, linking them to worsening insecurity across the country.
He said, “This is part of the insecurity we are facing in Nigeria today. If these firearms are in the hands of criminals, it means neither we nor the police are safe. These weapons were procured with taxpayers’ money, and Nigerians deserve to know what happened to them.”
AIG Sulaiman, assisted by senior police officers, explained that some arms were lost in robbery incidents, while others were taken when officers were killed in the line of duty.
However, after reviewing the police’s records, the committee found that only 15 officers were documented as having lost their arms due to death or injury, out of 3,907 unaccounted firearms.
Under intense questioning, AIG Sulaiman requested more time to submit a comprehensive report on the investigations and status of the missing weapons.
“To me, no firearm is unaccounted for. We appeal to the committee for more time. We will submit a full report,” Sulaiman said.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) criticised the police’s response, saying the lawmakers expected clear accountability, including disciplinary action against officers responsible for missing firearms.
He said, “The least we expect is for you to tell us that these arms were indeed lost, and those responsible have been identified and sanctioned.
The police parade suspects daily; why should it be different when officers are at fault? There should not be two sets of laws in Nigeria.”
He added that the police must recover the arms or ensure those responsible face prosecution.
The committee ordered the IGP to reappear before it on Monday, January 17 2025.
