Investigation Reveals Inaccuracies in Gun Audit Report
The Nigeria Police Force has addressed recent reports alleging that 3,907 firearms are missing from its armories, clarifying that these claims are misleading and do not pertain to the tenure of the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
According to Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the figure originates from a 2019 audit by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which indicated that 3,907 arms were “unaccounted for” at that time, not necessarily missing. This distinction implies that while the firearms were not physically verified during the audit, they were likely deployed for various operational duties.
The police further explained that during periods of civil unrest, several officers were killed, and their arms were taken. Additionally, some police facilities and armories were attacked and looted, resulting in the loss of arms. Efforts have been made to account for and recover these arms, with many already retrieved and documented.