Egbetokun: Drama at n’assembly unnecessary… I didn’t submit two different budget documents

Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), says the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) did not submit “two different 2025 budget documents” to the national assembly.

On Thursday, Egbetokun appeared before the joint committee of the national assembly on police affairs to defend the NPF’s 2025 budgetary allocations.

However, there was a mild drama when the IGP was reeling out the budget details for five zonal police headquarters to be constructed across the country.

During the process, Mark Esset, a member of the house of representatives from Akwa Ibom, questioned why the budget details being read out by the IGP were not contained in the document given to him.

Joining the fray, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, a senator representing Ebonyi north central, said he was entitled to the document containing the budget details being read out by the IGP.

Nwebonyi was overruled by Abubakar Makki Yalleman, chairman of the lower chamber committee on police affairs, who said the IGP should be allowed to continue with his presentation.

Angered by the development, the Ebonyi senator left the meeting.

TRENDING VIDEO: Senator angrily walks out during budget defence by IGP pic.twitter.com/p5E2LOVXb2

— TheCable (@thecableng) January 16, 2025

But in a statement released on Friday by Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, the IGP said the drama at the national assembly was “unnecessary and avoidable”.

Egbetokun said two versions of his presentation—comprehensive and abridged—were made available to the committee members before his presentation.

The IGP said there was an agreement that he should present the abridged version since all the committee members have both documents.

“At the start of the session, the committee members unanimously agreed with a motion that the IGP should present the abridged version since they all had access to both documents,” the statement reads.

“However, distinguished Senator Onyekachi Nwoebonyi (Ebonyi north), who arrived late, began referencing the comprehensive version while the IGP presented the abridged version.

“Despite explanations from other committee members about the earlier agreement and the consistency between both versions, the senator refused to listen and abruptly left the session.”