Reps to probe ‘persistent’ loss of firearms by police

The house of representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged persistent loss of firearms by police from 2021 to 2022.

The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during the plenary session on Thursday after the adoption of a motion.

The motion was sponsored by Idris Salman, an African Democratic Congress (ADC) member representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency of Kogi.

While moving the motion, the lawmaker referenced the 2019 report of the office of the auditor-general of the federation (AuGF) that revealed missing 178,459 firearms from the police armoury.

The legislator said that the police have lost “sufficient firearms” enough to arm four full-size infantry divisions”.

He alleged that the police did not report the missing firearms which amounts to a violation of provisions of the financial regulations which make it mandatory that such losses be reported.

The legislator said a 2022 report stated that most weapons recovered from bandits in some states belong to security agencies.

“Nigeria police’s underperformance may be due to the constant loss of firearms and ammunition in the police armament which requires urgent legislative intervention to ensure the safety of officers,” the lawmaker said.

“Aside from the established reality of illegal importation of arms, it is horrifying to realise that the guns and bullets deployed by terrorists, armed robbers and thugs against Nigerians may have been stolen weapons from the armoury that were bought with taxpayers’ money.”

The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house.

PREVIOUS PROBE

This is not the first time the house would be investigating claims of missing firearms from the police armoury.

In 2022, following the 2019 report of the office of the auditor-general for the federation (AuGF), the lower legislative chamber constituted a committee to probe the matter.