SERAP Demands Tinubu Probe N6.79 Billion Missing Police Funds, Missing Firearms
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately order a comprehensive investigation into the disappearance of over N6.79 billion in public funds from the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
In an open letter dated August 1, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and relevant anti-corruption agencies to thoroughly probe the grave allegations documented in the latest Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which was published on September 9, 2025.
The audit report uncovered widespread financial irregularities, including payments for projects that were never executed, abandoned contracts, inflated contract costs, irregular procurement, unretired cash advances, unsettled insurance claims, and payments for services not rendered. Among the specific findings cited by SERAP was the alleged payment of N499.9 million for the construction of Police College Phase II in Bashar, Plateau State, which the Auditor-General said was never executed and feared the money may have been diverted. The report also cited over N12 million paid for the rehabilitation of a building in Garki that was not executed, and over N111 million for a transit camp and administration block project in Kaduna State that was also abandoned. Additionally, over N1.9 billion in contracts awarded in 2022 were abandoned, with new contracts awarded instead of completing ongoing projects.
Beyond the financial misconduct, the Auditor-General’s findings raised serious concerns about national security, documenting missing firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, failures to properly account for recovered firearms, and the insecure storage of weapons. The report specifically noted that 42 firearms and 737 rounds of live ammunition booked into the FCT Police Command armoury between 2021 and 2022 were never returned, while several recovered firearms, vehicles and other exhibits were allegedly converted for operational use or released without proper authorisation.
SERAP argued that the diversion of funds meant for policing, abandoned security projects, missing firearms and ammunition, and the misuse of police exhibits undermine the operational effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force, weaken public confidence and may contribute to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity. The organisation insisted that anyone suspected to be responsible, including contractors, companies and public officials implicated in the report, should be promptly prosecuted, while all missing public funds, firearms and ammunition should be fully recovered, secured and properly accounted for.
Citing Sections 14 and 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which recognise that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government and require the state to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power, SERAP gave the Federal Government seven days to act on its demands. The organisation warned that it would consider appropriate legal action to compel compliance if no response was received within the stipulated period.
