SENATE DEMANDS EXPLANATION FOR MISSING 3,907 FIREARMS

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The Senate Committee on Public Account is demanding that the office of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, explain missing 3,907 firearms within the Nigerian Police Force reported by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate who doubles as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Account, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, that it is important that the firearms are accounted for to help the lawmakers in making budgets.

“What we are considering is the report from the office of the Auditor General of the Federation from 2019 till date. He gave us an insight of what they had as ta 2018 but what is before us is report from 2019 till date and in that report, 3,907 firearms mainly AK-47 is missing within the Nigeria Police Force and that is what we are discussing,” Senator Nwebonyi said.

“When we probed further as to whereabout of these firearms, we discovered that some were lost as a result of death of the officers that were holding them, and these people paid the supreme price, and we should honour them as a nation.

“However, over 99 per cent is unaccounted for and that is why we asked the AIG whose is representing the IG to go and come back and give us facts on this because all we need to know is to give account as to the whereabout of these firearms.

“We need this information because it will guide us in making our budgets because if the Nigerian police is losing such number of arms, it is important that they be supported to replace the firearms, but the accounts of the missing ones must be given.”

The IGP had appeared before the Senate Committee over the missing firearms on Tuesday but excused himself and left Assistant Inspector General of Police (Budget), Abdul Suleiman, to entertain questions from the Senators.

The Committee had 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.

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.