Nigeria Police Lost More than 180,000 Firearms Till Date, Federal Legislators Call for Probe

nairamatter October 27, 2023

Photo Credit: ev on Unsplash

The House of Representatives has directed its committees to delve into the recurring incidents of firearms disappearing from the possession of Nigeria Police Force personnel. This decision was made during the Thursday session, where the Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs, and Public Accounts were tasked with investigating the persistent loss of firearms. The scope of the investigation includes examining the failure of the police force to adhere to the Financial Regulations Act and proposing suitable punitive measures.

This directive came about after a motion was introduced by Idris Salman, a legislator representing Kogi State. Salman highlighted the escalating frequency of firearm losses, emphasizing that a significant number of these losses have gone unreported. Citing the 2019 Auditor General’s report, he revealed that a staggering 178,459 firearms were unaccounted for in the armory.

According to Salman, the Nigeria Police Force has neglected its obligation to report these substantial firearm losses, a violation of paragraph 2603 of the Financial Regulations, 2009. This regulation stipulates that officers must report any store losses to the department or unit head within three days, especially if the loss occurs away from headquarters.

The motion presented by Salman was swiftly adopted without any subsequent debate, indicating the urgency and consensus on the need for a thorough investigation into this critical matter.