The head of the Nigerian police force has requested the Nigerian Senate to conduct a private investigation into the disappearance of a significant number of assault rifles. This request is made due to security concerns. The police chief disputed a 2019 audit report that revealed a large number of missing or unaccounted-for rifles. In a letter to the Senate President, the police chief expressed gratitude for the Senate’s commitment to investigating the matter thoroughly.
After a recent public hearing where police officials struggled to address the missing firearms issue, the police chief excused himself due to national duties. He argued that such sensitive matters should not be discussed publicly and advocated for internal police investigations before any public scrutiny. The police chief emphasized the importance of conducting future hearings on security matters in private to prevent misinformation and safeguard national security interests.
The Senate President acknowledged the concerns raised and confirmed that investigations would be carried out internally by the police and externally by the Senate. The Senate Deputy Whip presiding over the hearing urged the police chief to provide a more detailed explanation about the missing rifles at a later date.