Audit on Police Reveals ₦2.7 Billion Sleaze, Abandoned Projects
A recent audit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has uncovered nearly ₦2.7 billion in fraudulent payments, unexecuted contracts, and abandoned projects, raising serious concerns about corruption and financial mismanagement within the security institution.
The findings were detailed in the 2022 Annual Report on Non‑Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses issued by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF).
The audit highlighted 14 contracts worth approximately ₦1.93 billion that were budgeted in 2022 but remain incomplete or abandoned. Many of these projects were funded despite little or no progress, and in some cases, payments were made for work that was never carried out.
Among the red-flagged cases is the construction of 12 one-bedroom transit camps and rehabilitation works at the Police Pre‑retirement Skills Acquisition Centre in Kudan, Kaduna State. Auditors reported that 79% of the ₦141 million contract had been paid by late 2022, yet no work had been done as of March 2024.
Another case involved the Police College Phase II in Bashar, Plateau State, where ₦499,875,500 was paid for a project that was reportedly never executed.
Modification works for the IGP Conference Room also drew scrutiny, with a ₦4 million payment deemed irregular.
The audit further exposed systemic weaknesses within the NPF, including poor documentation, weak internal controls, and a recurring pattern of awarding fresh contracts without completing ongoing ones. Payments for unapproved contracts, accounting irregularities such as using 2022 funds to settle 2020 liabilities, and violations of procurement due process were also identified.
In response, the Auditor-General directed the Nigeria Police Force management to recover all funds associated with these irregularities and remit them to the government treasury to ensure accountability.
Analysts warn that the findings could further erode public confidence in the NPF, an institution already facing scrutiny over transparency and operational integrity.
The report underscores the urgent need for reforms to strengthen financial oversight and project management within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies.
