Police refutes claims of 3,900 missing weapons amid senate scrutiny

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has denied allegations that 3,907 weapons went missing from its armoury during the tenure of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.

The statement follows inquiries from the Senate Committee on Public Accounts regarding the reported disappearance of firearms, as highlighted in a 2019 audit report from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts questioned the NPF over the alleged loss of arms and ammunition.

The 2019 report, which details discrepancies in police armoury records, prompted legislative scrutiny. In response, IGP Egbetokun designated Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) Suleiman Abdul to address the concerns before the committee.

However, lawmakers found Abdul’s explanations “unsatisfactory,” leading to further deliberations on accountability and security protocol within the force.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Muyiwa Adejobi, the NPF spokesperson, refuted the claims, stating that the audit findings were based on records preceding Egbetokun’s tenure.

He attributed some missing firearms to incidents of civil unrest, during which police officers were attacked, leading to the loss of weapons.

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“The force wishes to clarify that this report appears to stem from an assessment of the report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, dating back to 2019, likely reflecting records compiled prior to the current Inspector-General of Police’s tenure,” the statement read.

Adejobi explained that during periods of civil disturbances, numerous police officers lost their lives, and their weapons were stolen by attackers. Additionally, police stations and armouries were looted, exacerbating the loss of arms. However, he assured the public that efforts have been made to recover lost weapons.

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According to Adejobi, routine audits of police armouries may not always reflect the true picture, as weapons are frequently issued to officers for ongoing operations. These deployments can last for extended periods, leading to perceived discrepancies during audits.

“We also note that when auditors conduct visits to our armories, they may not find all arms present at the time due to the issuance of weapons to personnel for operational purposes, many spanning to months depending on the nature of such operations. Consequently, this may lead to misconceptions regarding the accuracy of audit reports,” Adejobi stated.

He further emphasized that there is no factual basis to claims that an “outrageous number” of firearms are missing under IGP Egbetokun’s leadership.

The NPF reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability, noting that mechanisms are in place to track and recover stolen arms. The force assured the public and lawmakers that continuous audits and retrieval efforts are being conducted to ensure that all issued firearms are accounted for.

The Senate’s investigation is expected to continue, with further clarifications sought on police inventory management and security procedures. Meanwhile, the NPF has urged stakeholders to consider operational realities when evaluating audit reports, cautioning against misinterpretations that could undermine public confidence in law enforcement.