The Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation says over 88,000 AK-47 rifles and 3,907 firearms have been discovered missing from the custody of the Nigerian Police.
This was disclosed when auditors reviewed the arms movement register and monthly returns of arms and ammunition at the armoury section.
According to Sahara Reporters, 88,078 AK-47 rifles, 3,907 assorted rifles and pistols across different police formations could not be accounted for as of January 2020.
A further breakdown of the missing firearms showed that 601 firearms are missing from 15 training institutions; 42 in 23 formations; 1514 missing in 37 police commands; 29 missing in Zone 1-12 were not also reported as required by law, with 1,721 firearms are missing in Police Mobile Force (PMF) 1-68.
Records received from force armament unit at the Force Headquarters showed 21 Police Mobile Force Squadron, Abuja, did not report a single case of missing firearm, whereas the schedule of missing arms obtained from the same PMF showed a total number of 46 missing arms between year 2000 and February 2019.
“The value of the lost firearms could not be ascertained because no document relating to their cost of acquisition was presented for examination,” the report said.
The audit further discovered that 10 contracts totalling N1.136billion were awarded to a single proprietor in the name of different companies.
This is even as three companies were found in the companies’ profiles having same phone numbers and email addresses.
The three companies did not disclose their relationship in accordance with the fundamental principles of procurement as required by extant regulation, the report stated.
The audit office further said that the sum of N924.985million was paid for 11 contracts involving construction of three units of Gunshot Spotter System, supply of 50 units of Ballistic Roller Trolley and 20 units of Ballistic Mobile Surveillance House in some selected Commands and Formations. Final payments were made in March 2019 without evidence of execution. Documents such as end user certificate, store receipt voucher, store issue voucher, job completion certificate were not presented for audit examination.
Following the discovery, the auditor-general’s office has asked the Nigerian Police to explain why contracts were awarded to companies owned by same persons.
