SERAP Raises Alarm Over Alleged ₦6.79bn Police Funds, Missing Weapons

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order an immediate investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving more than ₦6.79 billion within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.

The rights group also urged the Federal Government to ensure the recovery of missing firearms, ammunition and other police exhibits allegedly unaccounted for, warning that the situation poses serious risks to public safety and national security.

In a letter dated August 1, 2026, SERAP asked the President to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the allegations and prosecute anyone found culpable.

The organisation, in the letter signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said the allegations were contained in the 2022 Annual Report of the Auditor-General for the Federation, published on September 9, 2025.

It maintained that contractors, companies and public officials implicated in the audit report should be investigated, while all missing public funds, firearms and ammunition should be recovered and properly accounted for.

“The Auditor-General’s findings suggest a grave betrayal of the public trust and raise serious concerns about corruption and the management of public funds, police exhibits, firearms and ammunition,” SERAP said.

The group argued that the audit report exposed a pattern of financial mismanagement, including payments for projects allegedly never executed, abandoned contracts, inflated contract values, procurement irregularities, unretired cash advances and unsettled insurance claims.

According to SERAP, the findings also highlighted concerns over missing firearms and ammunition, unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, poor documentation of recovered weapons and insecure storage of firearms.

It warned that the alleged diversion of funds meant for policing, coupled with weak accountability for weapons and exhibits, could undermine the operational effectiveness of the police and further weaken public confidence in the institution.

Among the cases cited in the audit report was the alleged payment of about ₦499.9 million for the construction of Phase II of the Police College in Bashar, Plateau State, which the Auditor-General reportedly said was never executed.

The report also questioned payments of over ₦12.9 million for the rehabilitation of a building at the Department of Logistics and Supply in Abuja and more than ₦111.6 million for projects at the Police Pre-Retirement Skills Acquisition Centre in Kaduna State, alleging that the contracts were not carried out.

SERAP further drew attention to audit findings indicating that more than ₦1.9 billion was paid for 14 projects classified as ongoing in 2022, but many were allegedly abandoned while fresh contracts were awarded.

On security concerns, the organisation said the audit revealed that 42 firearms, including AK-47 rifles and pistols, along with 737 rounds of ammunition recorded in the armoury of the FCT Police Command between 2021 and 2022, were allegedly never returned.

The report also raised concerns over the alleged conversion of recovered exhibits for operational use without due authorisation, the inability of auditors to verify several exhibits and the release of monetary and non-monetary exhibits without proper documentation.

SERAP also highlighted allegations against the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs over contracts worth hundreds of millions of naira reportedly awarded without due diligence, including procurements for patrol vehicles, ballistic equipment and training programmes.

The organisation noted that the audit further questioned unresolved insurance claims running into hundreds of millions of naira, irregular procurement by the Police Public Relations Office and the failure to deduct statutory taxes from some contracts.

SERAP argued that the allegations required urgent attention because Section 15(5) of the Constitution mandates the government to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power, while Section 14 identifies the security and welfare of Nigerians as the primary purpose of government.

The group gave the Federal Government seven days to begin implementing its recommendations, warning that it would consider legal action if no steps were taken to investigate the allegations and recover the funds and missing weapons.