 Kayode Egbetokun has requested that the Senate conduct its investigation into the disappearance of 3,907){kind=link}
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has requested that the Senate conduct its investigation into the disappearance of 3,907 firearms in a private session.
His appeal was conveyed in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary.
Background
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts had earlier questioned the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) regarding the missing weapons, as highlighted in the 2019 Auditor-General’s report.
The report revealed that several firearms and ammunition had vanished from police storage.
Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) Suleiman Abdul was nominated to address the lawmakers on the issue.
However, his explanation was deemed unsatisfactory, and his request for a closed-door discussion was rejected by most committee members.
Call for a private probe
In his letter, Egbetokun acknowledged the Senate’s efforts but insisted that further deliberations be held privately to avoid public misinformation.
“This matter involves national security, and discussing it openly could create misconceptions among Nigerians and the international community,” he stated.
Senate President Akpabio responded by saying the letter “speaks for itself” and affirmed that the investigation would continue.
Earlier, police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi clarified that some of the missing ammunition were lost during civil unrest and not under Egbetokun’s tenure.