WHO IS ARMING THE BANDITS, TERRORISTS, AND CRIMINAL HERDSMEN IN NIGERIA? The Shocking Mystery of Over 178,000 Missing Police Weapons and the Growing Threat to National Security

 

For years, Nigerians have asked a troubling question: Where do bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, and violent criminal herdsmen get their sophisticated weapons? The answer may be more disturbing than anyone imagined.

A legislative bombshell has revealed what many citizens have long feared. The Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC), while reviewing an official federal audit report, confronted the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force over a staggering number of missing firearms.

According to the audit report:

- 178,459 firearms are unaccounted for nationwide.

- 88,078 AK-47 rifles have reportedly gone missing.

- 3,907 assorted rifles and pistols cannot be accounted for across various police commands and formations.

These are not ordinary items that can simply disappear. These are deadly weapons purchased with taxpayers' money to protect lives and property. The frightening question now is: Who has these weapons, and where are they?

Senate Raises Serious Concerns

During a heated session, lawmakers expressed grave concerns about the implications of these missing firearms on Nigeria's worsening security situation.

Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi argued that the disappearance of such a massive quantity of weapons could be directly contributing to the activities of bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, and other criminal elements operating across the country.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole was even more direct. He challenged police authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible.

According to him:

"When you arrest people who stole rats and rabbits, you parade them. So, if a police officer is responsible for the disappearance of this number of arms, you have an obligation to disclose, apprehend, and arraign them."

His statement reflects the frustration of millions of Nigerians who believe those responsible for this national embarrassment must be held accountable.

Questions Over the Police Explanation

Police authorities reportedly explained that some of the weapons were lost during attacks in which officers were killed or overpowered by criminals.

However, Senate records reportedly showed that out of nearly 4,000 missing firearms in one category, only about 15 cases involved officers who were killed or injured.

This raises a critical question:

If only a small fraction of the weapons were lost during attacks, what happened to the rest?

Clerical Error or Organized Weapons Leakage?

In response to public outrage, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) argued that "unaccounted for" does not necessarily mean "stolen."

According to the police, many weapons may have been deployed for operational duties at the time auditors conducted their physical verification, making them temporarily unavailable for inspection.

While this explanation may account for some discrepancies, many Nigerians remain skeptical due to the sheer magnitude of the figures involved.

Adding to public concern, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu had previously disclosed that some corrupt security personnel have been involved in the illegal sale or rental of government weapons to criminal groups.

If true, this represents one of the gravest betrayals of public trust in Nigeria's history.

A Matter of National Survival

The weapons meant to protect Nigerians must never become the tools used to terrorize them.

The disappearance of over 178,000 firearms raises serious concerns about accountability, security management, and the possibility of internal sabotage within security institutions.

At a time when communities across Nigeria continue to battle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and violent attacks by criminal elements, citizens deserve clear answers.

Questions Nigerians Must Ask

1. Who is truly arming the bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, and violent criminal herdsmen operating across Nigeria?

2. Are these missing weapons simply the result of poor record-keeping, or is there a sophisticated black market operating within security agencies?

3. Should an independent and transparent audit of all security armories be conducted?

4. Can Nigerians trust internal investigations alone to uncover the truth?

5. What should be the punishment for any security officer found guilty of supplying weapons to criminal groups?

The safety of every Nigerian depends on the answers.

The nation deserves transparency. The victims deserve justice. And those responsible—whoever they may be—must be brought to 📕📕📕📕book. 

COPIED, BUT EDITED AND FINE TUNED BY ANGEL MIKE.