Worries as Senate quizzes IGP over 3,907 missing rifles from police armory

The Nigerian Senate has put the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on the spot over the disappearance of nearly 4,000 assault rifles and pistols from the Nigeria Police Force’s armory.

Lawmakers expressed frustration on Tuesday, stating that the police’s explanations were unsatisfactory and demanding full accountability for the missing firearms.

Egbetokun, appearing before the Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC), faced intense questioning over an audit report from the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF). The report flagged the disappearance of 3,907 firearms as of January 2020, a revelation that has sparked serious security concerns.

The audit report painted a troubling picture. According to Olu Samuel Godwin, a representative from the AuGF’s office, a total of 178,459 firearms had gone missing by December 2018, including 88,078 AK-47 rifles. These weapons, originally under police custody, were unaccounted for across multiple formations nationwide.

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A particularly glaring discrepancy emerged from records at Force Armament headquarters. While the 21 Police Mobile Force Squadron in Abuja claimed no weapons had been lost, separate documents from the same department indicated that at least 46 firearms had vanished between 2000 and 2019.

When pressed for answers, police officials attempted to account for missing weapons dating back to 1998—a move that failed to address the Senate’s demand for explanations regarding the most recent 3,907 missing rifles. Of these, the police could only provide convincing details on 15 firearms, leaving a massive gap in accountability.

Faced with mounting scrutiny, police representatives pleaded for a closed-door session to discuss the matter privately. The Senate flatly rejected the request, insisting that such a critical issue could not be debated behind closed doors.

In a final attempt to defuse the situation, the police requested more time to conduct a comprehensive investigation and report back.

The Senate’s firm stance reflects growing concerns about how these missing weapons may be fueling insecurity across Nigeria. With the country already grappling with banditry, insurgency, and violent crime, the idea that thousands of firearms may have fallen into the wrong hands is deeply alarming.

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