IGP’s Budget Breakdown Triggers Heated Clash Among Lawmakers
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During the 2025 budget defence session at the National Assembly on Thursday, tensions ran high as lawmakers delved into the details of the Nigeria Police Force’s budget from the previous year.
The session took a dramatic turn when the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, began explaining the allocation of funds for constructing five zonal police headquarters nationwide. Barely into his presentation, Mark Esset, a House of Representatives member from Akwa Ibom, interrupted, questioning why the details the IGP was reading were missing from the documents provided to lawmakers.
The situation escalated when Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi of the All Progressives Congress, a principal officer representing Ebonyi North, voiced his frustration. He argued that senators should have access to the same document the IGP was referencing, emphasizing the importance of transparency in serving the Nigerian people. His attempts to clarify were met with commotion, and the session grew disorderly.
Honourable Abubakar Makki Yalleman, Chair of the House Committee on Police Affairs, dismissed Nwebonyi’s Point of Order and allowed the IGP to continue. This decision provoked Nwebonyi, who packed his belongings and exited the session in protest, exchanging heated words with House members as he left.
Yusuf Gagdi, a lawmaker from Plateau State, expressed regret over the incident, highlighting the importance of following parliamentary procedures, which discourage interruptions from those without the floor.
After calm was restored, the IGP resumed his address, shedding light on the severe underfunding of the police and calling for reforms to the current “envelope” budgetary system. On recruitment, he revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had raised the annual intake from 10,000 to 30,000 personnel, a move aimed at improving the Force’s capacity.
Egbetokun concluded by urging the National Assembly to support the police in meeting their responsibilities, noting the agency’s heavy reliance on government allocations. “We appreciate this committee’s acknowledgment of the financial challenges we face,” he said.
