A combined photo of IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the National Assembly complex
By Akeem Atoyebi
Lawmakers, again, were at one another’s throat during a budget defence session between the Joint Police Affairs Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives and the Nigeria Police led by its Inspector-General, Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday.
It all started with disputes on the police’s proposed budget presentation and quickly morphed into a rowdy exchange that led to a dramatic walkout by Senator Onyekachi Nwoebonyi (Ebonyi North).
Disagreements started when Egbetokun started his presentation on the proposed activities of the Police in 2025 and was explaining plans for the construction of five zonal police headquarters.
He was abruptly interrupted by a member of the House of Representatives, Mark Essiet from Akwa Ibom State, who noticed discrepancies in the details being presented by the IGP and what was contained in the official document provided to the committee members.
Essiet was backed by Senator Nwoebonyi, principal officer and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who demanded that the IGP should provide the correct documents to all lawmakers.
“Mr. Chairman, we are here to serve Nigeria. Nigerians expect us to be a serious institution. Let me make it clear: we are not against the President of Nigeria. As a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I should have access to the same document the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is reading. What I have is different from his presentation. This is unacceptable.
“Please, let me finish. I represent the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I demand clarity. It is the decision of this committee’s leadership to allow the IGP to summarise his presentation. We need order and transparency. Let us proceed with respect and focus.
“I also believe it is important to gather the opinions of all members. This institution must reflect proper parliamentary procedure. If the IGP is reading from a different version of his speech, it violates our procedures. A motion was moved and unanimously agreed upon: the IGP should adhere to the document shared with this committee.
“Parliamentary procedures must be followed. As representatives, we vote based on vision and established rules, not emotions. Any deviation from procedure undermines the credibility of this institution. After the IGP’s presentation, all members retain the constitutional right to raise issues or act accordingly. However, preempting the process is unprofessional and counterproductive.
“Mr. Chairman, we must ensure that decorum is maintained. Let us proceed in a manner befitting the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thank you.”
But his demand was rejected by the majority of the committee members. He was eventually ruled out of order by the Committee Chairman, Abdulhamid Ahmed, who asked Egbetokun to proceed with his presentation.
Angered by the turnout, he stormed out of the session but not before engaging in exchange of words with some members of the House of Representatives who mocked him as he exited.
When calm returned, a ranking member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of House Navy Committee, Yusuf Gagdi (Plateau State), defended the committee’s decision to allow the IGP to continue his presentation in accordance with parliamentary rules.
According to him, it was improper for lawmakers to interject without being first recognised by the chairman.The IGP was then given the floor to continue with his presentation.
Egbetokun lamented the severe underfunding of the police force, stressing the need for more substantial financial support and calling for the removal of the police from the “envelope” budget system to ensure more predictable and adequate funding for the force.
He also spoke on the issue of police recruitment, saying that President Bola Tinubu has approved an increase in the annual recruitment quota from 10,000 to 30,000 officers. This, he noted, would significantly improve the police’s capacity to perform its duties and address security challenges across the country.
