The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the incessant loss of firearms and ammunition in the Nigerian Police Armament from 2012 to 2022.
The House adopted a motion moved by Arc. Salman Idris, member representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency, at the Plenary on Thursday.
Presenting the motion, Salman recalled that a Nigerian daily had on January 1, 2022 while quoting the office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAUGF) referenced AuGF/AR.2019/02 in a report in December 2018 reported that about 178,459 arms and ammunition were missing from Nigeria Police Armament.
He said an additional 3,907 rifles were also allegedly unaccounted for as of January 2020 without any trace or formal report.
The lawmaker lamented that it was disturbing that firearms sufficient to arm four full-size infantry divisions had been lost by Nigerian Police and were not reported.
He said the failure to report the missing arms violated paragraph 2603 of the Financial Regulations Act, which requires officers to report store losses to the head of department or unit within three days if it occurs away from headquarters.
Salman added that the police’s underperformance might be due to the constant loss of firearms and ammunition in their armament which requires urgent legislative intervention to ensure officers’ safety.
According to him, aside from the illegal importation of arms into Nigeria, guns and bullets deployed by terrorists, armed robbers and thugs against Nigerians might be stolen weapons from armouries bought with taxpayers’ money.
The motion was seconded by Hon. Adamu Tanko while Hon. Usman Kumo proposed an amendment to call on the House Committee on National Security, as well as that on Public Accounts to conduct the investigation.
The House adopted the motion and mandated committees on National Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs, and Public Account to investigate the persistent firearm loss, and failure by the police to comply with Financial Regulations Act, and recommend appropriate punitive measures.
Hon. Famous Osawaru proposed an amendment to restrict the investigation to within 30 days in line with the extant Rules of the House.
Hon. Kingsley Chinda further proposed an amendment to delete the phrase “appropriate punitive measures” before the investigation as it seems to preempt the outcome of the investigation.
The motion was voted on, adopted as amended and referred to the House Committee on Police Affairs, National Security and Intelligence, as well as that on Public Accounts.
