The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed recent reports claiming that 3,907 firearms are missing from its armouries, clarifying that these claims are misleading.
In a statement on Thursday, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, explained that the allegations stem from a 2019 audit report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which found that 3,907 arms were “unaccounted for,” not “missing,” as reported.
Adejobi further explained that discrepancies during audits may occur due to weapons being assigned to officers for operational purposes.
He also acknowledged that some firearms were lost during attacks on police formations, particularly during periods of civil unrest.
However, he assured that efforts have been made to recover these weapons, with many already accounted for.
The statement also clarified that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun was not present during the Senate Public Accounts Committee’s recent hearing on missing firearms. Instead, IGP Egbetokun sent a representative to address the queries.
The Senate committee has postponed further hearings until February 17, 2025, to allow the police time to reconcile discrepancies.
The police also expressed concern over the spread of misinformation, warning that it undermines public confidence in law enforcement.
The NPF emphasised that the missing firearms issue pertains to records from before IGP Egbetokun’s appointment in June 2023.
