Nigeria Police Refute Claims of 3,907 Missing Firearms, Call Allegation Misleading

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has denied reports suggesting that 3,907 firearms have gone missing from its armouries, dismissing the claims as both misleading and inaccurate.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, clarified that the report appears to stem from an audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF) in 2019.

According to the police, the audit report did not state that the firearms were missing but rather that they were “unaccounted for” at the time of the assessment.

Adejobi acknowledged that the police have suffered attacks during periods of civil unrest, leading to the loss of officers and weapons. However, he assured that efforts had been made to recover these arms, with many already returned to police armouries.

He further explained that during audits, not all firearms may be physically present in the armoury, as many are issued to officers for operational duties that could last for extended periods. This, he said, sometimes leads to misunderstandings in audit reports.

“The Nigeria Police Force has an established annual internal audit process in line with Police Regulations, administrative instructions, and standard operating procedures (SOPs), ensuring strict control and accountability over firearms,” Adejobi stated.

He emphasized that despite some documented incidents, there has been no outrageous record of missing or unaccounted firearms, contrary to the claims made in the 2019 audit report.

“The Force has previously responded to audit queries aimed at reconciling discrepancies in reports. However, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts has postponed its hearing on the matter to Monday, February 17, 2025, to allow for a detailed review of records,” Adejobi added.

He also debunked reports that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was present during Senate discussions on the alleged missing firearms. According to him, the IGP only made a brief appearance before the committee on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

“He was asked to take the standard oath and explain why he had not responded to previous invitations by the committee,” Adejobi explained.

He further stated that after providing satisfactory responses, the IGP was excused, while the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Police Accounts and Budget remained to address the committee’s queries.

“These queries relate to a period before the tenure of the current IGP. For clarity, there is no such alarming number of missing firearms in the NPF’s armouries for the stated period,” Adejobi insisted.

He also pointed out that managing misinformation against the Nigeria Police Force has become a significant challenge, with malicious actors attempting to undermine the Force’s achievements in stabilizing national security.

“The spread of false information against institutions like the NPF has serious consequences, including jeopardizing public safety, tarnishing reputations, and hindering the police’s ability to maintain law and order,” Adejobi said.

Despite these challenges, he reaffirmed the NPF’s commitment to transparency and accountability. “We remain dedicated to upholding national security while ensuring proper accountability of all operational materials entrusted to us,” he concluded.

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