The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed recent reports alleging that 3,907 firearms are missing from its armory, describing the claims as misleading and inaccurate.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the NPF clarified that the figures being cited stem from a 2019 audit report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF).
The police noted that the report, which predates the tenure of the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP), only flagged the firearms as “unaccounted for” rather than “missing,” as widely reported.
The police explained that during periods of civil unrest, officers have been attacked, with some losing their lives while criminals cart away weapons. Despite this, the force has recovered many of the stolen arms and continues to track others.
Additionally, the NPF pointed out that during routine audits, some firearms may not be physically present in armories because they are deployed for ongoing operations, sometimes for extended periods. This, the police said, may create a false impression that weapons are missing.
“The Nigeria Police Force has a statutory and annual internal auditing process, which ensures controlled movement and proper accountability of arms,” the statement said. “There has been no outrageous record of unaccounted or missing arms as speculated in the 2019 report of the AuGF.”
Regarding the ongoing Senate hearing on the issue, the police stated that the IGP had briefly appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts on February 11, 2025. However, he was not present when lawmakers raised questions about the alleged missing firearms. The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Accounts and Budget remained to respond to the queries, which related to a period before the current IGP assumed office.
The police accused certain media organizations of spreading misinformation to undermine public trust in the force, warning that such actions could have serious security implications.
“The proliferation of misinformation, especially against institutions like the Nigeria Police, has far-reaching consequences, including compromising public safety and damaging reputations,” the statement warned.
The force reassured Nigerians of its commitment to transparency and accountability, vowing to continue its efforts in safeguarding the nation while ensuring proper documentation of all operational materials.
The Senate hearing on the audit report has been rescheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025, allowing more time for a thorough review of the records.
