Reps to probe 178,459 missing police arms

The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to investigate the alleged disappearance of about 178,459 different arms and ammunition belonging to the Nigeria Police Force.

The House also called on the Inspector-General of Police to take urgent actions to apprehend those culpable for the depletion of the armoury of the Force.

These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu.

Moving the motion, Okechukwu said the alleged disappearance of the about 178,459 different arms and ammunition of the Nigeria Police Force was contained in the 2019 report of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

He also said the audit of Arms Movement Register, Monthly Returns of Arms and Ammunition and Ammunition Register at the Armoury Section of Police revealed that a total number of lost firearms as at December 2018 stood at 178,459 pieces.

Okechukwu explained that out of 178,459 missing arms, 88,078 were AK-47 rifles, 3,907 assorted rifles and pistols across different Police formations, which could not be accounted for as at January 2020.

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“Aware of the findings in the report that the police high command failed to keep record of unserviceable and expired firearms and ammunition; owing to non-compliance to the internal control system of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Also Aware that records of the total number of unserviceable firearms were not produced for examinations and there were no returns from Adamawa State Command, Police Mobile Force (PMF) 46, 56, 64 and 68 for the period under review.

“Alarmed that duly completed Treasury Form 146 (loss of stores) was not presented. Records obtained from force armament at Force Headquarters showed 21 Police Mobile Force (PMF) Squadron, Abuja did not report a single case of missing firearm, whereas schedule of missing arms obtained from the same PMF showed a total of 46 missing arms between year 2000 and February 2019” he stated.

The deputy minority Leader expressed worry that the value of the lost firearms could not be ascertained because no document relating to their cost of acquisition was presented for examination.

He observed that with the worsening state of security, kidnapping and banditry in the country, the missing arms could have found their ways into the wrong hands.