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, warning that the reported diversion of public funds and disappearance of firearms pose serious threats to national security.
In a letter dated August 1, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged 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 all officials, contractors and companies implicated in the Auditor-General’s findings and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted.
SERAP also demanded the recovery of all allegedly diverted public funds, missing firearms, ammunition and police exhibits, insisting that they must be properly secured and accounted for.
The rights group based its demand on the latest Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025, which detailed widespread allegations of financial mismanagement, procurement irregularities, abandoned contracts and weak accountability within the police and the Ministry of Police Affairs.
According to SERAP, the report reveals “a grave betrayal of the public trust” and raises fundamental concerns about corruption, fiscal accountability and the handling of police weapons and exhibits.
It warned that the reported disappearance of firearms and ammunition, unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, poor record-keeping and insecure storage of weapons could undermine public safety and worsen the country’s security challenges.
“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 said.
Among the findings highlighted by SERAP is the alleged payment of nearly ₦500 million for the construction of a Police College in Bashar, Plateau State, which the Auditor-General said was never executed, raising fears that the funds may have been diverted.
The report also cited payments of more than ₦12 million for the rehabilitation of a police building in Abuja and over ₦111 million for a transit camp project in Kaduna State, both of which were allegedly not executed despite full payment.
It further alleged that contracts worth over ₦1.9 billion classified as ongoing projects were abandoned, while fresh contracts were awarded without completing the original projects, with the new contracts reportedly untraceable.
SERAP also drew attention to allegations involving the FCT Police Command, where 42 firearms, including AK-47 rifles and pistols, alongside 737 rounds of live ammunition, reportedly disappeared after being lodged in the armoury between 2021 and 2022.
The Auditor-General also alleged that police exhibits, including recovered vehicles, firearms, ammunition and laptops, were released or converted to operational use without proper authorisation or documentation, while several exhibits could not be accounted for.
According to the report, monetary exhibits exceeding ₦5 million, as well as firearms and other recovered items, were released without the required documentation, while obsolete firearms were allegedly stored in unsecured locations.
The report equally accused the Police Headquarters of multiple financial infractions, including the payment of allowances outside approved budgetary provisions, failure to prepare statutory financial statements, irregular payments to an aide of the Inspector-General of Police, unretired cash advances and the failure to deduct statutory taxes from awarded contracts.
SERAP also cited allegations that the Police Insurance Unit paid over ₦681 million to insurance brokers for beneficiaries’ claims that were never settled, while insurance liabilities exceeding ₦1.6 billion remained outstanding.
The organisation further highlighted findings against the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, including contracts worth over ₦438 million for security equipment allegedly awarded without due diligence, over ₦258 million reportedly paid to an unqualified contractor for patrol vehicles, and ₦18 million disbursed for a women empowerment programme without evidence that the training was conducted.
It also pointed to alleged irregular payments of security allowances and procurement contracts awarded without competitive bidding.
Invoking Sections 14 and 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, SERAP argued that the Federal Government has a constitutional duty to guarantee citizens’ security and eliminate corruption in public institutions.
The organisation gave the Federal Government seven days to act on its recommendations, warning that it would initiate legal proceedings if no concrete steps were taken to investigate the allegations and recover the affected public assets.
