A heated confrontation unfolded on Thursday during a 2025 budget defense session at the National Assembly as lawmakers expressed frustration over discrepancies in the Nigeria Police Force’s budget documents.
The trouble began when Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, started presenting a breakdown of funds allocated for the construction of five zonal police headquarters.
However, tensions quickly escalated when Mark Esset, a member of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom, interrupted, questioning why the details Egbetokun was discussing were not included in the documents provided to him.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, a senior member of the All Progressives Congress and representative of Ebonyi North, further inflamed the situation. He insisted that, as a senator, he should have access to the same documents the IGP was presenting, arguing that Nigerians expect lawmakers to act as a serious and responsible institution.
His comments were met with resistance, and the disagreement grew louder, with shouting and disruptions in the chamber. The tension escalated when the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, Honourable Abubakar Makki Yalleman, overruled Nwebonyi’s objection, allowing the IGP to continue his presentation.
Frustrated, Senator Nwebonyi stormed out of the session, packing his belongings and exchanging harsh words with members of the House of Representatives who jeered at him as he left.
Yusuf Gagdi, a representative of Panshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency in Plateau State, voiced disappointment over the incident, defending the committee’s decision to allow the IGP to continue. Gagdi emphasized that the action was in accordance with parliamentary procedures and criticized lawmakers for interjecting without having the floor.
Once order was restored, IGP Egbetokun resumed his presentation, emphasizing the severe underfunding of the police force. He also called for an end to the “envelope” budgetary system, which he argued limited the force’s ability to function effectively. Egbetokun highlighted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had raised the annual recruitment quota for the police from 10,000 to 30,000, a decision he believes will significantly improve the Force’s capacity.
The IGP appealed to the National Assembly for further support to help the police meet its operational needs, warning that the Force remains highly reliant on government budget allocations to carry out its duties.
Nwebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North, stated: “We are here to serve Nigerians, and Nigerians should see us as a very serious institution.
“We are not against the presentation of the IGP. But I, as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, should have what the IGP is reading.”
” Otherwise, we are entirely dependent on budgetary allocations.
“We are glad that this committee has recognised the gross underfunding of the police,” Egbetokun stated.
