Exposing the ₦6 Billion Police Uniform Scandal: CSOs Seek Transparent Answers from Nigerian Police Force
Investigation Demanded Over ₦6 Billion Police Uniform Contract Award
In a shocking turn of events, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have confronted the Police Force with an Freedom of Information (FOI) request, aiming to unmask irregularities in the procurement process of a highly disputed ₦6 billion police uniform contract.
On a tense Tuesday in Abuja, the executive director of Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), Ezenwa Nwagwu, made a powerful statement, indicating that the FOI request stems from mounting evidence suggesting corruption within the awarding and implementation of this controversial contract.
Nwagwu alleged that these reports claim the contract was broken down into an astounding 66 smaller contracts, each valued under ₦100 million, in an apparent attempt to sneak past procurement regulations. Surprisingly, every single one of these mini-contracts was granted to a sole firm, Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc.
The CSOs have also filed a petition with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a comprehensive and impartial investigation into these claims.
"As responsible civic actors, we are not here to sling mud but to ask probing questions in the public interest-questions that call for rational and transparent responses," Nwagwu explained.
"The purpose is not to assign blame but to uphold institutional integrity and restore faith in our police system," he added.
Social media murmurs indicate that over ₦234 billion may have been mismanaged under the current administration of the Police Force. These whispers demand a detailed and transparent response or explanation. For instance, there is a pressing need for a response regarding the mysterious splitting of a ₦6 billion uniform contract into 66 smaller contracts-each just under the procurement threshold, despite a prior budgetary allocation for the same purpose?
"Could it be true that on January 16, 2024, through internal memo CQ 6000/DLS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.83/946, IGP Egbetokun reportedly approved the award of a ₦6 billion contract for the supply of police uniforms, an amount far exceeding his approval threshold," Nwagwu interrogated.
The CSOs are questioning the reasoning behind the alleged contract-splitting, especially given that the 2024 federal budget already allocated ₦7.34 billion to purchase police uniforms.
"Was due process followed in the reported sale and ceding of critical police barracks and assets, allegedly to individuals with personal ties to senior police leadership?" he asked.
"This step is crucial to support reform, not to point fingers," Nwagwu reiterated.
"We reaffirm our belief that reform and accountability must go hand-in-hand. Nigeria deserves a police force that is not only well-equipped but also beyond reproach in its use of public funds," Nwagwu concluded.
Accountability is essential to build public trust, boost efficiency, and deliver the security that Nigerians "desperately" need.
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- The alleged ₦6 billion police uniform contract, which was broken down into 66 smaller contracts and given to a single company, Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc, is under investigation by the CSOs and the ICPC.
- Ezenwa Nwagwu, the executive director of PAACA, has questioned the reasoning behind this contract-splitting, considering the prior budgetary allocation for the same purpose.
- In a petition to the ICPC, the CSOs have requested a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the irregularities surrounding the police uniform contract.
- Nwagwu stated that as responsible civic actors, their aim is not to sling mud but to ask probing questions in the public interest, aiming to restore faith in the police system.
- There have been allegations of corruption within the awarding and implementation of the police uniform contract, with some reports claiming the contracts were intentionally split to bypass procurement regulations.
- The CSOs demand a detailed and transparent response or explanation regarding the split contract, as well as any potential mismanagement of over ₦234 billion under the current administration of the Police Force.
- Nwagwu concluded that reform and accountability must go hand-in-hand, and that a police force that is not only well-equipped but also beyond reproach in its use of public funds is essential to build public trust, boost efficiency, and deliver the security that Nigerians desperately need.
