Chaos in National Assembly as IGP Egbetokun Defends 2025 Police Budget
A tense session unfolded in the National Assembly on Thursday as Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, presented the 2025 Nigeria Police budget, sparking heated disagreements among lawmakers.
The tension escalated when two legislators challenged the accuracy of the IGP’s presentation, arguing that the figures and details did not match the documents they had received. The committee chairman attempted to move the session forward while addressing the discrepancies, but this was met with strong opposition, resulting in a verbal clash that momentarily disrupted proceedings. The disagreement intensified to the point where a senator staged a walkout in protest.
Calm was eventually restored, allowing Egbetokun to resume his presentation. He reiterated his stance that the current envelope budget system places severe limitations on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), hindering its ability to tackle security challenges effectively. He urged lawmakers to reconsider the restrictive framework and adopt a more responsive funding model that aligns with the pressing security needs of the country.
While some lawmakers, including Senator Abdul Ningi, argued that the envelope budget system was never legally ratified by the National Assembly and should remain the standard, others expressed support for a review, advocating for a more flexible and needs-based funding approach to enhance the police force’s operational capacity.
The debate over police funding reforms continues to be a contentious issue, with growing calls for a budget structure that can better equip the NPF to address the nation’s security concerns.
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