Police Under Fire As Senate Probes Disappearance Of Thousands Of AK-47s

The Senate Public Accounts Committee has raised alarm over the disappearance of more than 3,900 firearms from the Nigeria Police Force, sparking heated debate among lawmakers and concerns over the nation’s security.

During a review of the Auditor-General’s report, the committee uncovered multiple financial and operational irregularities within the police, including contract mismanagement amounting to ₦1.136 billion.

However, the revelation that thousands of firearms—mainly AK-47 rifles—are missing and potentially in the hands of criminals took center stage.

Assistant Inspector General of Police (Budget), Abdul Suleiman, defended the force, insisting that they had appropriately addressed the audit queries.

But when pressed on the location of the missing weapons, he urged discretion, cautioning against public disclosure.

“The police will not allow these weapons to go missing at any cost, but this is a security matter best discussed privately,” he stated.

His plea for a closed-door discussion was met with resistance. Senator Victor Umeh and Senator Joel Onawakpo-Thomas argued that national security concerns should not override the need for public accountability.

“Thousands of AK-47s are missing at a time when insecurity is at its peak. The police should have been able to trace these arms.

“If over 3,900 rifles are unaccounted for, it means our security is compromised. Claiming it’s a ‘security issue’ without providing answers only raises more concerns,” Umeh asserted.

Amid the rising tensions, Senator Abdul Ningi stormed out after calling for an executive session, but a majority voice vote kept the proceedings public.

The police later clarified that some of the missing weapons belonged to officers killed in the line of duty, insisting that no firearms were deliberately unaccounted for.

Unconvinced, the Senate committee rejected the explanation and summoned the Inspector General of Police to reappear on Monday for further questioning.