*Petition House of Reps, send FOI to IGP
By Our Reporter
About 30 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe alleged contract splitting of about N6 billion and illegal ceding of police barracks allegedly to associates by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
The Civil Societies made the demand in their resolution after a roundtable on corruption in the police held at Bolton White Hotel, Abuja.
The Executive Director
Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa and Convener, Say No Campaign Nigeria, Comrade Ezenwa Nwagwu, said the group had also petitioned the House of Representatives and written to the police under the Freedom of Information Act to clarify allegations made in the petition.
The petition titled: “Petition by Civil Society Groups call for urgent investigation into allegations of multi-billion-naira contract scam, massive official corruption, diversion of public funds, contract splitting and ceding of police barracks to cronies and family by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, NPM.”
The groups called for a thorough investigation into grave allegations of misconduct against the IGP, “including multi-billion-naira contract scams, massive official corruption, diversion of public funds, contract splitting, and the unlawful ceding of police barracks to cronies and family members.”
The CSOs lamented that despite the allocation of over N7billion in the 2024 Appropriation Act and release of same for the purchase of police uniforms for officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, the NPF awarded another contract of N6 billion for the purchase of uniforms without following due process or Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval.
They said that the new N6 billion contract was charged to the operational funds of the police meant for purchase of arms and operational vehicles needed to combat insecurity.
They further alleged that the contract was split into 66 places to override approval limit of N100 million set for the IGP.
They urged the House to collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other relevant bodies to ensure a thorough probe and recovery of misappropriated funds.
The called for review of Police assets and contracts through an audit of all police contracts, procurements and asset transactions under the current IGP’s tenure to ascertain the extent of mismanagement and illegality.
The petition reads in part: “The Inspector General of Police as prescribed by the 7th Schedule of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended), among other things, swore to discharge the duties of his office faithfully and honestly according to the Constitution, not to allow his personal interest to influence his official conduct or official decisions and that he will abide by the Code of Conduct contained in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun PhD, NPM as the head of the Nigeria Police Force with the powers to exercise full control and command over the police is mandated by Section 4 of the Nigerian Police Act 2020 (as amended in 2024) with the responsibility of ensuring the prevention and detection of crime and ensuring that all laws and regulations are complied with all over Nigeria.
“The IGP is also bound by the Police Act 2020 and other regulations, which reinforce the principles of integrity, accountability, and public service.”
On the grounds of the petition, they added: “That the 2024 Appropriation Act budgeted for the police the sums of N7.4 billion for the procurement of police uniforms for the 2024 budgetary year. Information available strongly suggests that the above budgeted sums were released and utilised for the procurement of Police uniforms for the year 2024.
“Strangely, by way of duplication, the Inspector General of Police, Egbetokun is alleged to have on the 16th of January 2024 through an internal memo CQ 6000/DLS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.83/946 unilaterally and without due regard to extant procurement laws and regulations approved and awarded a contract for the supply of police uniforms for the tune of N6 billion to Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc.
“The question that begs for an answer by this Honourable Committee is whether IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun PhD, NPM is allowed by Nigerian legal frameworks to unilaterally approve and award a contract for the supply of ordinary uniforms to the tune of N6billion?
“Nigerian procurement laws conclude that the IGP lacks the powers to issue out such a contract. For the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to legally award a six-billion-naira contract, he must adhere to the Public Procurement Act 2007, undergoes competitive bidding, secures Bureau of Public Procurement Review, and must first obtain the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The petitioners further averred that “The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) sets monetary thresholds for contract approvals, which vary depending on the government entity. (e.g., Parastatal Tenders Board, Ministerial Tenders Board, or Federal Executive Council).
“Contracts above N100 million typically require BPP review and high value contract running into billions require the approval of FEC. It is safe to say that splitting contracts into smaller amounts to bypass approval thresholds, competitive bidding, or oversight is a direct violation of Section 20(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007.
“Further to paragraph 4.0 above, it is alleged that not only did IGP Egbetokun divide the contract into over 60 awards in clear violation of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007, the IGP awarded all the 66 uniforms contract to only one company Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc.
“The actions of the IGP seems to support the allegation that Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc have direct ties to the IGP and that the company is being used by the IGP to divert public funds. Whether or not this is true is left for this Honourable Committee to investigate.
“Still in violation of the PPA 2007, the IGP split the N6 billion contract into three trenches of N2 billion each for the purpose of making payment to his alleged cronies Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc.
“To facilitate the first trench payment, the IGP in a memo on the 19th of March 2024 titled ‘Re-Letter of Offer for the Production of Police Personal Uniform Textile Fabric’ approved the payment of the sum of N2 billion to Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc.
“The Director of Finance and Accounts of the Nigeria Police Force, Dandela A. Kassim, on the 28th of March 2024 in responding to the memo of the IGP Egbetokun for the authorisation of the payment of the said sum of N2 billion, wrote a letter to IGP Egbetokun titled: ‘Payment of N2 billion to Crown Natures Nigeria Plc Observation and Request for Authorisation to Process Payment’ drew the attention of the IGP that such contract among other things is fraudulent, is in breach of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007, has already been budgetted for and funds released to that effect, that the approval of FEC is needed and that virement and splitting of contract is sanctionable and prohibited by the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007.
“It can be seen from the letter to the IGP by the Director of Finance and Accounts that the funds from which payment to Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc was to be made from are operational funds. The Director pointed out that operational funds are meant only for arms, vehicles and other operational purposes that should be used to curtail raising insecurity.
“Depletion of such funds will hamper the ability of the Force to fight crime. The Director of Finance and Accounts of the NPF is an experienced expert on police budgets and expenditures.
“But bent on having his way, the IGP through AIG Adepoju A. Ilori, replied the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA) on the 2nd of April 2024 vide internal memo CB: 3900/PB/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.T/41 commanded the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA) to forthwith carry out the instructions of the IGP and make the said payment of N2 billion to Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc, thereby deliberately ignoring the sound expert caution and warning of the DFA. The said N2 billion was eventually released to Messrs Crown Natures Nigeria Plc.”
The petitioners noted that another incident of alleged corruption against Egbetokun was the “fraudulent and large-scale disposal of police lands and barracks” to his “personal associates” all in brutal disregard of due process of law and regulations.
They claimed that credible sources within the senior cadre of the Nigeria Police Force alleged that Egbetokun is linked to the alleged illegal ceding of police lands and barracks under the disguise of renovating the barracks.
According to them, “it is alleged that IGP Egbetokun engaged in the illicit act of selling off police landed assets to his associates through a Lagos-based real estate developer.
“Through the developer, the Jabi Police Barracks, Garki Police Barracks, Falomo Police Barracks, Bompai Police Barracks, Kano and other choice properties of the Nigeria Police Force have been ceded to friends, relations and associates.
“Because of the welfare of police officers, adequate housing is crucial for the morale and effectiveness of police officers.
“Ceding barracks to private individuals would exacerbate the existing housing deficit within the police force, negatively impacting the welfare and operational readiness of officers in these inflationary times.
“It is alleged by sources at the Nigeria Police Development Company and the Department of Logistics and Supply of the Force, that a consultant has literally usurped the duties of the two institutions saddled with the responsibilities of managing police assets and that an arrangement in which private developers will take a percentage or portion of the barracks all without requisite statutory and Federal Government’s Approval is a violation of the law and due process.
“Credible sources pointed out that engaging in Public Private Partnership (PPP) on any national asset including Police landed properties mandates a prior approval from certain government institutions like the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the Police Affairs Ministry and a final approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act 2005 mandates that as in the instant case, PPP agreements for infrastructure development of police landed properties must comply with the ICRC Act.
“Section 2 of the ICRC Act 2005 requires that the Nigeria Police Force and the IGP must first obtain approval of the ICRC before entering into PPP agreements for the development of ICRC properties. Such process must be transparent, competitive and must comply with national policies. The ICRC Act mandates that the ICRC must take custody of all PPP contracts and monitor their implementation.
“The question worth asking at this juncture is whether the IGP complied with extant laws and regulations in the concession and execution of a PPP agreement for the development of police barracks and ceding of a portion of same to developers who are linked to the IGP?
“A visit by the members of this committee to the different choice police barracks listed in this petition will reveal the nature and extent of the sophistication with which the IGP ceded police barracks to his associates under the guise of renovation.
“An example is the Jabi Police Barracks. The Jabi police barracks located at Emmanuel Adiele Street, Jabi has been divided by a fence and now has two gates.
“The smaller portion of the barracks which creditable sources have confirmed is now what is designated as a barracks.
“There is nothing on the project signboard that indicates that the property is being developed for the police.
“Reliable sources and a visit to the Jabi Police Barracks disclosed that the second portion of the barracks land is being developed into private residential estates.
“The new gate to this second portion of the Jabi Barracks land is now on Mike Akhigbe Street, Jabi. The second portion of the Jabi Barracks land is bigger than that designated for the new police barracks.
“Attempts were made by the developers to create an illusion that the properties are two separate plots, but findings disclose that the approval for the two constructions were on the same day (the 31st of May 2024), the two constructions are being supervised by the same Architect (Willok Group) and both properties have the same approval number with the FCDA (FCDA/DC/BP/CID/PHSII or PHSLL/23800) despite attempts at deceptions. “
The groups noted that the alleged discrepancies seem to have a repeated pattern.
According to them, “This was the case when the IGP in January 2025 before the National Assembly for the 2025 budget defence attempted to provide a breakdown of funds allocated for the construction of five zonal police headquarters across the country.
“The figures being read by the IGP were not contained in the documents made available to other Senators and House members.
“The session took a contentious turn when a member of the House of Representatives, Mark Essiet (Akwa Ibom), interrupted, questioning why the IGP’s presentation details were not reflected in the documents provided to lawmakers.
“Peter Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North), Deputy Whip, APC, expressed frustration over not receiving the same document the IGP was referencing. Heated exchange of words ensued leading to a rowdy session.
“They were both overruled on procedural grounds of the rules of the National Assembly and Senator Nwebonyi walked out of the session in anger.”
They said that concerned senior police whistleblowers have strongly called for an immediate halt to the current illegal ceding of police properties to associates and the institution of an investigation into the entire initiative in the long-term interest of the Force and the Nation.
According to them, “Those identified as fronts should be invited for questioning and investigated for the good of the country.”
Thirty Civil society groups were in attendance. Some of the groups are Advocate for Human Rights and Sustainable Development, Save Democracy Africa, Community Development Initiative, Peace Front, Consent Africa, Jopan Global, CS-SUNN,New Way Africa, Society 4 Gender Empowerment &Development, I4PID, and ACEIDEV.
Others are Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative, CARIFIKA Network for Sustainable Development, CYD Sessions, Ideal Society, Cofas International, SSADASA, IANSAWNN, African Women Development Organisation, Marvel International Foundation, Greater Life Initiative, WIN, CESDA, CSCTGG, Yes Project Initiative, ACEDEV, and WACSOF.
Earlier in his welcome address, Nwagwu said: “Recent developments have raised serious questions about the prudent management of resources within the force. This should concern every responsible citizen, including those in leadership positions.
“In particular, we are concerned by reports circulating in the media and from whistleblowers alleging possible financial misconduct under the current leadership of the force.
“Reports circulating on social media that billions of naira 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.
“Some of these allegations, as we have read, involve claims of diversion of funds for internal security, contract awards and disposal of Police Assets to cronies.
“For instance, we expect an explanation to reports alleging a ₦6 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”.