Police dismiss claims of 3,907 missing firearms as Force HQ sets the record straight
On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) responded to recent claims that 3,907 firearms were missing from its armouries. In a statement, the NPF dismissed the allegations as misleading and inaccurate, emphasizing that efforts had been made to recover and account for the weapons.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, explained, “Every effort has been made to account for the arms taken, and many have already been recovered and returned to the force’s armouries.”
The NPF clarified that the report originated from an assessment by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF) dating back to 2019. The report mentioned 3,907 arms as “unaccounted for,” but not “missing,” as the news suggested. The NPF also acknowledged the challenges faced during periods of civil unrest, which included attacks on police stations, the killing of officers, and looting of arms.
The Force further explained that during audits, some weapons might not be found because they were issued to officers for ongoing operations. This could lead to confusion when comparing audit reports.
The NPF also assured the public that they have a yearly internal auditing process to ensure strict accountability of arms, and that there has been no significant issue of unaccounted firearms beyond what was documented in the 2019 report.
The police force added that the Senate Committee on Public Accounts hearing on the matter, initially scheduled for Thursday, February 13, has been postponed to Monday, February 17, 2025, for further review. During a Senate session on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) briefly appeared before the committee to address past invitations and clarified the situation. The committee was informed that the queries were related to a period before the current IGP’s tenure.
The NPF also emphasized that false reports and misleading stories have contributed to damaging public trust. “Managing mischief and the spread of misinformation against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has been a significant challenge,” the statement read.
Despite the challenges, the NPF assured Nigerians that it remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the safety of the nation.
