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.
However, tensions arose when some lawmakers disagreed on how to proceed. The situation escalated when Senator Ningi called for an executive session to discuss the matter privately and later stormed out of the meeting.
In spite of this, the committee chairman insisted that the AIG disclose the whereabouts of the missing firearms, arguing that the issue is of national importance. In response, the AIG pleaded for discretion, stating that discussions on police firepower should not be made public.
“The police will not allow these weapons to go missing at any cost, but this is a security matter best discussed privately,” he said.
However, the majority of lawmakers Insisted on Public Accountability. Some senators, including Senator Victor Umeh and Senator Joel Onawakpo-Thomas, sided with the chairman, disagreeing with calls for a closed-door session.
Senator Victor Umeh criticised the police for failing to recover the missing weapons in the face of rising insecurity across the country.
He argued that “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.”
After a voice vote which went in favour of the majority, the session continued overtly.
The police explained that some of the weapons were derived from officers killed while their weapons were carted away. He says no arms were unaccounted for.
The Committee on Public Accounts declared dissatisfaction with the explanations, again summoning the IGP to again before the committee on Monday. (Channels Television)
