The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu 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 allegations of missing, diverted and misapplied public funds amounting to over ₦6.79 billion within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
SERAP also urged the Federal Government to ensure that anyone found culpable, including contractors, companies and public officials named in the Auditor-General’s report, is prosecuted. It further demanded the recovery and proper accounting of all missing public funds, firearms, ammunition and police exhibits.
The organisation made the demands in a letter dated August 1, 2026, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare. According to SERAP, the allegations are contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s Annual Report published on September 9, 2025.
SERAP said the Auditor-General’s findings point to a serious breach of public trust, alleging widespread corruption, financial mismanagement and poor accountability in the handling of public funds, police exhibits, firearms and ammunition.
The organisation expressed concern over the reported disappearance of firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised release and operational use of police exhibits, failure to properly document recovered exhibits and the insecure storage of firearms, warning that the lapses pose grave risks to public safety and national security.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General documented several financial irregularities, including payments for projects that were never executed, abandoned contracts, inflated contract values, irregular procurement, unretired cash advances, unsettled insurance claims and payments for services allegedly not rendered.
Among the projects highlighted was the payment of ₦499.9 million for the construction of Phase II of the Police College in Bashar, Plateau State, which the Auditor-General said was never executed despite the funds being released to a contractor.
The report also cited another payment of ₦12.9 million for the rehabilitation of Block B of the Department of Logistics and Supply building in Garki, Abuja, which was allegedly never carried out.
Similarly, the Police reportedly paid ₦111.6 million for the construction of 12 one-bedroom transit camp apartments and the rehabilitation of an administrative block at the NPF Pre-Retirement Skills Acquisition Centre in Kudan, Kaduna State. According to the report, the project was not executed.
SERAP also referenced findings that contract costs were inflated through the insertion of taxes amounting to ₦4 million, while over ₦1.93 billion was allegedly paid for 14 projects classified as ongoing in 2022. The Auditor-General reported that the projects were abandoned and replaced with new contracts that could not be traced.
The organisation further drew attention to the Auditor-General’s findings that 42 firearms, including AK-47 rifles and pistols, along with 737 rounds of live ammunition, booked into the armoury of the FCT Police Command between 2021 and 2022, were never returned, raising fears that the weapons may have been lost or fallen into the wrong hands.
The report also alleged that police authorities converted exhibits to operational use without authorisation. It cited the case of a Golf 3 saloon car recovered during an operation at Mpape Police Division, which was converted into a patrol vehicle, as well as nine recovered AK-47 rifles allegedly deployed by the FCT Criminal Investigation Department without due approval.
The Auditor-General also found that the FCT Police Command failed to account for 24 exhibits recorded between 2021 and 2022 and denied auditors access to the exhibit room. Several recovered firearms and ammunition were reportedly not entered into the exhibit register or handed over to the exhibit keeper.
The report further alleged that monetary exhibits totalling ₦5.05 million, alongside firearms, laptops and other exhibits, were released without proper authorisation or the execution of the required bond documents.
SERAP also highlighted concerns over the storage of obsolete firearms, alleging that 10 unserviceable weapons were kept in an unsecured office instead of an armoury, contrary to standard procedures.
On financial management, the organisation cited findings that the Police paid over ₦112 million in outstanding allowances that were not captured in the approved 2022 budget and failed to prepare its 2022 financial statements in line with extant financial regulations.
The Auditor-General also questioned the payment of ₦6 million annually to the Inspector-General of Police’s Senior Special Assistant on Revenue and Tax Matters through another staff member instead of directly to the beneficiary.
SERAP further alleged that the Police granted cash advances exceeding ₦10 million for office equipment procurement, contrary to the approved threshold of ₦200,000, and that the advances were never retired.
The report also accused the Police of failing to properly document the death of 10 operational horses and deleting the animals from stock records without following due process. It further alleged that obsolete firearms collected from police commands nationwide were not destroyed as required.
Within the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, SERAP cited findings that contracts worth over ₦438 million for the supply of bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets and troop carriers were awarded without due diligence.
The organisation also referenced the payment of ₦18 million for a women’s skills acquisition programme in Ondo State without supporting records such as participants’ lists, training manuals or certificates.
Other findings included the award of a ₦258.9 million contract to an allegedly unqualified contractor for the procurement of 10 patrol vehicles for police outposts in Kano State and the payment of ₦30.8 million in security allowances through an intermediary rather than directly to beneficiaries.
SERAP further alleged that the Police Insurance Unit paid over ₦681 million to insurance brokers without evidence that beneficiaries received their claims, while insurance liabilities exceeding ₦1.6 billion remained unsettled.
The report also questioned the award of contracts worth ₦57.4 million by the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Office for video cameras, customised umbrellas, towels and gift bags without competitive bidding. It further alleged that over ₦7.7 million in withholding tax and Value Added Tax was not deducted from contracts as required by law.
SERAP gave the Federal Government seven days to commence action on its recommendations, warning that it would institute legal proceedings if no concrete steps are taken.
It argued that investigating the allegations and recovering missing public funds and firearms would strengthen accountability, improve policing and reinforce public confidence in Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.
