Senate Panel Interrogates Inspector General Over 178,459 Missing Firearms
By Our Correspondent
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, where he issued an apology for his failure to respond to previous invitations related to inquiries made by the Auditor General of the Federation concerning the Nigeria Police Force.
Last week, Committee Chairman Senator Ahmed Wadada threatened to issue a warrant of arrest for Egbetokun if he continued to disregard the committee’s summons.
While speaking under oath, Egbetokun explained that his absence was due to the demands of his position, assuring lawmakers that it would not happen again. Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), representing Wadada, accepted the apology, noting that Egbetokun’s appearance confirmed 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 hearings.
The committee questioned Egbetokun—represented by AIG Sulaiman—regarding the alleged disappearance of 178,459 firearms. According to the Auditor General of the Federation, Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, this number was detailed in his 2019 audit report submitted to the Senate Committee, indicating that a majority of the missing firearms were AK-47 rifles. Specifically, 88,078 of these firearms were identified as AK-47s, as highlighted by Samuel Godwin.
The report further noted that as of January 2020, over 3,907 firearms remained unaccounted for, based on a review of the arms movement register and firearm records conducted by the Auditor General’s office.
The committee examined multiple audit queries against the police, including a matter involving contract splitting worth N1.1 billion.
Acting Committee Chairman, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North), expressed deep concern over the missing weapons, linking them to the escalating insecurity across the country. He stated, “This is part of the insecurity we face in Nigeria today. If these firearms are in the hands of criminals, it means neither we nor the police are safe. These weapons were purchased with taxpayers’ money, and Nigerians deserve to know what happened to them.”
AIG Sulaiman, supported by senior police officials, explained that some firearms were lost during robbery incidents, while others were taken when officers were killed in action.
However, upon reviewing the police’s records, the committee found only 15 officers had documented losses of firearms due to death or injury, out of the 3,907 unaccounted firearms.
Under intense questioning, AIG Sulaiman requested additional time to submit a comprehensive report regarding the investigations and the status of the missing weapons. “To me, no firearm is unaccounted for. We appeal to the committee for more time to submit a full report,” Sulaiman stated.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) criticized the police’s response, emphasizing that lawmakers expected clear accountability, including disciplinary action against officers responsible for the missing firearms.
He remarked, “The least we expect is to be told that these arms were indeed lost, and those responsible have been identified and sanctioned.
The police routinely parade suspects; 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 either recover the missing firearms or ensure that those responsible face prosecution.
The committee has scheduled the Inspector General to reappear on Monday, January 17, 2025.
