Alleged Missing Firearms: Police Expose The Truth Behind Controversial Claims

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed reports suggesting that 3,907 firearms have gone missing from its armories, calling the claims misleading and inaccurate.

In a statement on Thursday, the Force Headquarters clarified that the figures referenced in recent reports originated from an audit conducted in 2019, before the tenure of the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP).……READ MORE 

According to the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, the alleged missing firearms were misrepresented, as many had been assigned to officers for operational duties and later recovered.

Ireporteronline  reports that the police clarified that the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF) did not indicate that the weapons were missing but rather unaccounted for at the time of the audit.

“These allegations are misleading and inaccurate. The AuGF report does not state that 3,907 arms were missing, but rather that auditors could not physically verify all arms, as some were deployed for operations,” the statement read.

The police also highlighted challenges faced by law enforcement agencies, particularly during periods of civil unrest, when officers have been attacked and arms stolen. However, efforts have been made to recover such weapons.

The statement further addressed concerns raised by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, which had scheduled a hearing on the matter.

“The Nigeria Police Force has previously defended the audit queries, which aimed to reconcile discrepancies in the report. However, the hearing session has now been postponed to Monday, February 17, 2025, for further review,” it added.

Clarifying the IGP’s presence at the hearing, the police noted that IGP Kayode Egbetokun had briefly appeared before the committee before being excused. Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector-General in charge of Police Accounts and Budget remained to respond to inquiries.

The NPF also raised concerns about what it described as a growing trend of misinformation targeting law enforcement agencies.

“The Nigeria Police Force has made significant strides in stabilizing internal security, but certain individuals are attempting to erode public confidence through the spread of misleading reports,” Adejobi stated.

He assured Nigerians that the police remain committed to accountability, transparency, and effective management of all operational materials.