The Nigerian Senate has expressed worry over the whereabout of at least 4,000 firearms. This was revealed during investigative hearing by the Public Accounts Committee.
The audit report from the office of the Auditor general of the Federation highlighted discrepancies in the police armory records between 2000 and 2020.
Auditor general of the Federation had informed the lawmakers that in 2018,
GALAXY TV reports that the report from Auditor General queries the missing of about 178,459 different types of arms and ammunition from the Police armory without any trace while 3,907 other assorted rifles and pistols disappeared from different police formations nationwide as at January 2020.
The lawmakers criticized the police for failing to trace the missing weapons and apprehend those responsible.
Concerns were raised that these firearms may have fallen into the wrong hands, worsening the country’s security crisis.
Meanwhile, Senator Adams Oshiomhole shared a personal experience in the assassination of his aide, highlighting the real-life consequences of missing firearms.
In response, the Police stated that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) regularly audits firearms and that the force is committed to ensuring no weapons go missing.
However, lawmakers insisted on a clear and public explanation of the missing firearms, especially in light of recent security concerns across the country. Senators cited previous reports of security personnel selling arms to criminals, stressing that transparency is crucial.
