The Nigeria Police has dismissed reports of 3,907 missing firearms, clarifying that the claims stem from a 2019 audit and are misleading
The **Nigeria Police Force (NPF)** has dismissed recent reports alleging that **3,907 firearms are missing** from its armouries, stating that the claims are **misleading** and do not reflect the actual situation.
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In a statement issued on **Thursday**, the **Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi**, clarified that the allegations originate from a **2019 audit report** by the **Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation** and do not indicate an actual disappearance of arms.
**“The report states that 3,907 arms were ‘unaccounted for,’ not ‘missing,’ as speculated in the news,”** Adejobi explained.
He emphasised that discrepancies in police armoury records do not necessarily mean firearms were lost or stolen, as weapons issued to officers for operations may not always be present during audits.
The statement followed a **February 11** report detailing how the **Senate Public Accounts Committee** questioned the **Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun**, over alleged discrepancies in police firearm records.
During the hearing, concerns were raised over **178,459 allegedly missing firearms**, including **88,078 AK-47 rifles**, citing findings from the **2019 Auditor-General’s report**.
However, the police maintained that the figures were outdated and did not reflect the **current status of their armouries**.
According to Adejobi, audit reviews can lead to **misconceptions** because some weapons are deployed for extended security operations and may not be physically available during inspections.
Additionally, he noted that **some firearms were lost due to attacks on police formations**, particularly during episodes of **civil unrest**, but the police have made efforts to recover them.
**“It is important to acknowledge that during periods of unrest, some officers lost their lives, and their arms were taken. However, many of these weapons have been recovered,”** he stated.
Addressing reports about the **Inspector-General of Police’s involvement**, Adejobi clarified that **Egbetokun did not attend the full Senate hearing** on missing firearms. Instead, he briefly addressed the committee regarding previous invitations before **Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Abdul Sulaiman** continued responding to audit queries.
The Senate Committee has postponed further hearings on the audit to **Monday, February 17, 2025**, allowing the police time to **reconcile discrepancies** in the records.
The NPF expressed concern over the spread of **misinformation**, warning that it could **damage public confidence in law enforcement**.
**“The proliferation of misinformation, especially against institutions like the Nigeria Police, has far-reaching consequences, including compromising public safety and damaging reputations,”** Adejobi warned.
He also reaffirmed that these audit discrepancies **do not relate** to the tenure of the current **IGP, Egbetokun**, who was appointed by **President Bola Tinubu** on **June 19, 2023**.
**“For emphasis, no such outrageous number of firearms is missing in NPF armouries during this administration,”** the police concluded.
