Ebonyi senator: Police must account for 3,907 missing firearms to facilitate budget passage

Peter Nwaebonyi, deputy chairman of the senate committee on public account, says police must account for 3,907 missing firearms to facilitate budget approval.

Nwebonyi, a senator representing Ebonyi north, spoke on Wednesday when he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.

The senate committee on public accounts queried the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Tuesday over 3,907 missing firearms from its armoury.

The missing firearms were reported in the 2019 audit report by the office of the auditor-general of the federation.

Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), nominated Suleiman Abdul, an assistant inspector-general (AIG), to answer questions from the senators.

Lawmakers rejected the police representative’s unsatisfactory explanations on missing firearms and other audit issues, also denying a requested executive session.

The committee asked the police leadership to reappear on January 17 for the continuation of the probe.

During the interview, Nwebonyi stressed the importance of accounting for firearms to aid lawmakers in creating informed budgets and ensuring responsible resource allocation.

“What we are considering is the report from the office of the Auditor General of the Federation from 2019 till date,” the lawmaker said.

“He gave us an insight of what they had as at 2018 but what is before us is the 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.

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

“However, over 99 per cent is unaccounted for. 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 (should) be supported to replace the firearms, but the accounts of the missing ones must be given.”

During Tuesday’s committee sitting, Nwaebonyi suggested broadcasting the proceedings live, drawing parallels with similar practices in the United States.