The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, has expressed his displeasure over an audit report the Senate worked on, indicating that thousands of firearms are missing from police armouries in commands and formations across the country.
A report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGoF) submitted to the Senate Public Account Committee (SPAC), alleged that as of January, 2020, over 3,907 firearms, mostly AK-47 rifles, were “unaccounted for.”
The committee was reviewing a series of audit queries the AGoF’s office raised against the police, including a finding that from 2000 to 2018, its audit showed that 147,459 firearms were “lost.”
A document presented to the SPAC by a representative of the AGoF’s office, Mr Samuel Godwin, reads partly, “The total number of lost firearms as at December 2018, stood at 179,459 pieces.
“Out of this number, 88,078 were AK-47 rifles.
“3,907 assorted rifles and pistols across different police formations could not be accounted for as at January, 2020.”
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in Charge of Budgets, Mr. Abdul Suleiman, had represented Egbetokun at the SPAC session, which was held at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
But, on Thursday, the IG wrote a letter to the Senate protesting that the Senate was not availed of the correct information regarding the movement of arms in police armouries.
Besides, Egbetokun complained that conducting such a sensitive security session in the open did not only expose the country’s security architecture, but also created the wrong impression about Nigeria before the international community.
The letter, which was read to senators in plenary on Thursday by the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, partly states, “We appreciate the Senate committee’s probe into the alleged missing firearms and urge the committee to conduct future hearings on sensitive security issues in camera so that the wrong impression will not be created in the minds of Nigerians and in the minds of the international community.
“This is crucial to prevent misinformation and ensure national security.
“Conducting hearings on these sensitive security issues in camera will help prevent the spread of misinformation and protect national security interests.
“It will also allow for more candid discussions and fact-finding.”
Akpabio, after reading the letter, said the IGP’s letter was “very clear” on saying that the police would conduct a thorough investigation into the audit and come up with the correct information in order to put the records straight.
On the part of the Senate, Akpabio said it also continue with its own investigation so that both the police and the legislature would reconcile their findings on the status of the alleged missing firearms.
It was Sen. Onyekachi Nwoebonyi who presided over the SPAC hearing were the audit report was reviewed.
After Akpabio read Egbetokun’s letter, the lawmaker stood up to raise a point of order, but the Senate President interjected that the matter should lie low for now, pending the outcome of the investigations.
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