Abuja — The House of Representatives at the plenary, Thursday resolved to investigate the alleged missing 178,459 arms and ammunition in the Nigeria Police Force as contained in the 2019 report of the Auditor General for the Federation (AuGF).
THISDAY had reported that the Auditor General for the Federation said in the report that over 88,000 of the missing arms are AK-47 assault rifles which could not be accounted for by the Police.
Specifically, the Ad-hoc committee set up in December 2021, to investigate the allegations bothering on the constant release of bandits and kidnappers arrested and handed over to the Police authorities by communities and other security agencies across the country, was assigned to carryout out the investigation.
The lawmakers also called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to take urgent actions to apprehend those culpable for the depletion of the armoury of the Nigeria Police Force.
The resolutions of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu.
Moving the motion, the Deputy Minority Leader, cited the the 2019 report of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation on alleged disappearance of the 178,459 different arms and ammunition.
He noted that the audit of Arms Movement Register, Monthly Returns of Arms and Ammunition and Ammunition Register at the Armoury Section reveals that a total number of lost firearms as at December 2018 stood at 178,459 pieces.
He also noted that out of this number, 88,078 were AK-47 rifles, 3,907 assorted rifles and pistols across different police formations, which could not be accounted for as at January 2020.
He said the House is aware of the findings in the report that the police high command failed to keep record of unserviceable and expired firearms and ammunition; owing to non-compliance to the internal control system of the Nigeria Police Force.
He expressed concerns over the value of the lost firearms could not be ascertained because no document relating to their cost of acquisition was presented for examination.
The lawmaker, pointing out that Nigeria did not undertake any war in recent times, worries that with the worsening state of security, kidnapping and banditry in the country, the missing arms could have found their ways into the wrong hands.
Okechukwu said, “Also Aware that records of the total number of unserviceable firearms were not produced for examinations and there were no returns from Adamawa State Command, Police Mobile Force (PMF) 46, 56, 64 and 68 for the period under review. Alarmed that dully completed Treasury Form 146 (loss of stores) were not presented. Records obtained from force armament at Force Headquarters showed 21 Police Mobile Force (PMF) Squadron, Abuja did not report a single case of missing firearm, whereas schedule of missing arms obtained from the same PMF showed a total of 46 missing arms between year 2000 and February 2019.”
Adopting the motion, the House mandated the adhoc committee to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.