Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to provide a detailed explanation over the alleged misappropriation of N234 billion within the Nigeria Police Force.
The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja during a roundtable on Police Reform and Accountability, convened by the Executive Director of the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), Ezenwa Nwagwu.
According to Nwagwu, recent reports from whistleblowers and media sources have raised serious concerns about financial misconduct under the current leadership of the police. He said the CSOs chose to pose critical questions in the public interest to promote transparency and institutional integrity.
“Reports circulating on social media that over N234 billion may have been mismanaged under the current administration of the Police Force call for serious concern and deserve a transparent and detailed response,” he stated.
Nwagwu cited allegations involving the diversion of funds earmarked for internal security, irregular contract awards, and the sale of police assets to associates of top officials. One such allegation involves a reported N6 billion contract for police uniforms, allegedly split into 66 separate contracts below the N100 million approval threshold to bypass procurement regulations.
He said the contracts, all reportedly awarded to Crown Natures Nigeria Plc, were allegedly funded by diverting N6 billion from the Police Internal Security Operations budget—despite a separate N7.34 billion allocation in the 2024 budget for uniforms.
“This double funding, if proven, constitutes a breach of financial regulations and may partly explain why the police remain under-equipped to address the country’s worsening security challenges,” Nwagwu said.
He further revealed that the IGP allegedly approved the contract despite objections from the Director of Finance and Accounts in the police, Mr. Dandela Kassim, who reportedly flagged the deal as financially and legally flawed in a memo dated March 28, 2024.
Nwagwu also questioned the legality of the reported disposal and redevelopment of key police barracks in Garki, Jabi, Falomo (Lagos), and Bompai (Kano). He alleged that these assets were transferred to individuals with personal ties to the IGP, including Hakeem Ogunniran, CEO of Exima Realty Co. Ltd and a childhood friend of the police chief, under the guise of a redevelopment scheme.
“These transactions allegedly bypassed essential regulatory approvals from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the Ministry of Police Affairs, and the Federal Executive Council,” he added.
He warned that if the claims are accurate, they not only breach federal infrastructure laws but also pose a threat to national security, as police barracks are classified as critical assets.
To seek clarity, the CSOs have filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request with the Police and submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), urging a thorough, independent investigation.
The CSOs reiterated their demand for reforms anchored on transparency and accountability, stressing that Nigeria deserves a police force that is both effective and fiscally responsible.
Edited by Nzubechukwu Eze.
