Senate Grills Police Chief Over 178,459 Missing Firearms, N1.1bn Contract Scandal
The Senate Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday summoned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over alarming revelations from a 2019 Auditor General’s report highlighting 178,459 missing firearms, predominantly AK-47 rifles, and allegations of N1.1bn contract splitting within the Nigeria Police Force.
Egbetokun, who apologized for previous absences due to the demands of his office, introduced Assistant Inspector General of Police Abdul Sulaiman as his official committee liaison. Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) accepted the apology but stressed the importance of accountability for all officials.
The audit report presented by Samuel Godwin on behalf of Shaakaa Chira painted a grim picture: 178,459 firearms were unaccounted for as of December 2018, with an additional 3,907 rifles and pistols missing by January 2020. The Senate raised concerns about these firearms potentially falling into criminal hands, heightening Nigeria’s security crisis.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North) voiced fears that such a loss endangered both citizens and the police, insisting Nigerians deserved answers. In response, AIG Sulaiman explained that some weapons were lost to robberies or seized by criminals during attacks on officers. However, a committee review revealed only 15 cases of officers losing firearms due to injury or death.
AIG Sulaiman requested more time to provide a comprehensive report, but Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) demanded stronger action. “Officers responsible must be arrested and paraded—just as the police do to ordinary Nigerians. No double standards,” he asserted.
Further scrutiny was directed at eight audit queries, including a N1.1bn contract-splitting allegation, which violated the Public Procurement Act. The committee ordered the police to present detailed explanations of all flagged irregularities.
The IGP has been mandated to reappear on Monday, January 17, 2025, with a full report on the missing firearms and contract irregularities.
