The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has called for the establishment of a ‘Special Operations Account’ to fund emergency internal security operations, highlighting the financial challenges faced by the Nigeria Police Force in carrying out its duties.
Speaking on Thursday during the 2025 budget defense before the Joint Committee on Police Affairs and Police Institutions, Egbetokun stressed that despite incremental progress, the budget allocations and subsequent releases remain insufficient to meet the growing operational and institutional needs of the police force.
He emphasized that the existing financial provisions are inadequate given the scope of responsibilities and the critical nature of the police mandate.
Egbetokun explained that the lack of a Special Operations Account remains a significant challenge, one that hampers the Force’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies.
He urged the committees to support the creation and proper funding of this account in the upcoming 2025 budget cycle.
In his presentation of the 2025 police budget proposal, Egbetokun revealed that the original budget estimate for the year was N1.896 trillion but had been reduced to N1.252 trillion, reflecting a cut of N644.106 billion.
The IGP outlined three major challenges currently facing the police: insufficient appropriations that hinder modernization efforts and service delivery, the restrictive envelope budgetary system that does not accommodate the expanding mandate of the police, and delays in fund releases. These delays, he stated, disrupt operational planning and preparedness, making it difficult for the police to tackle internal security challenges effectively.
Egbetokun called on the committees to remove the police from the envelope budgetary system to allow for more accurate and adequate funding projections.
Additionally, he requested funding for the construction of five new zonal headquarters and the strengthening of tactical units critical to maintaining internal security.