By Amos Joseph A group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Tuesday, through the Freedom of Information Act, have requested the Inspector ...
By Amos Joseph
A group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Tuesday, through the Freedom of Information Act, have requested the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to clarify issues around the controversial N6 billion contract for the procurement of police uniforms allegedly awarded without due process.
According to them, the FOI request came about as a result of widespread reports alleging financial irregularities in the award and execution of the uniform procurement contract.
Similarly, the CSO leaders said a petition had been submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for a thorough, independent investigation into the allegations.
“As responsible civil society actors, we are not here to make accusations but to raise critical questions in the public interest, questions that demand thoughtful and transparent answers. Not only to uphold institutional integrity but to restore public confidence in our policing system,” they said.
Speaking at a roundtable on Police Reform and Accountability in Abuja, Convener and Executive Director Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) Ezenwa Nwagwu, said the request for clarifications became necessary to, not only uphold institutional integrity, but restore public confidence in the country’s policing system locally and internationally.
“Reports circulating on social media that over ₦234 billion may have been mismanaged under the current administration of the Police Force call for serious concern and deserve a transparent and detailed response or explanation,” the CSOs said.
“For instance, we expect an explanation to reports alleging a N6 billion contract for police uniforms was split into 66 smaller contracts — each just under the procurement threshold — despite a prior budgetary allocation for the same purpose?
“To evade financial regulations, the contract was alleged to have been illegally split into sixty-six (66) separate awards, each valued under N100 million, all awarded to a single company, a certain Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc, in direct violation of the Public Procurement Act.
“To fund this massive irregularity, IGP Egbetokun allegedly diverted N6 billion from the Police Internal Security Operations budgetary allocation, money originally meant to enhance operational readiness in combating internal threats.”
“Shockingly, this diversion occurred despite the Police Force already receiving and utilizing a N7.34 billion allocation in the 2024 budget for the procurement of uniforms,” Ezenwa further stated.
According to them, the actions, if true, “are not only in violation of federal infrastructure laws but represent a direct threat to national security, as barracks are designated as critical security assets.”
They maintained that Nigeria deserves a police force that is not only well-equipped but also beyond reproach in its use of public funds.
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