he revelations, contained in the recently released 2022 Auditor-General’s Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), highlighted abandoned projects, unapproved contract awards, and payments for works that were never executed.
The audit report revealed that 14 contracts totaling N1.94 billion, originally listed as ongoing projects in the 2022 budget, were abandoned. Instead, the police awarded new contracts that were not captured in the 2022 Appropriation Act, raising questions about budgetary compliance and legislative approval.
One high-profile case involved the construction of 12 one-bedroom en suite transit camps and the rehabilitation of an administrative block at the Police Pre-retirement Skills Acquisition Centre, Kudan, Kaduna State. Although 79% of the N141 million contract was paid, the camps had not been constructed by March 2024.
Other irregularities flagged include:
- Payment of N499.87 million for Police College Phase II, Bashar, Plateau State, without execution of the project.
- Payment of N112.03 million for outstanding 2020 liabilities using 2022 funds.
- Irregular engagement of a Senior Special Assistant to the IGP on revenue and tax matters at N6 million.
- Direct procurement of equipment worth N10.08 million for the NPF Database Management Centre outside established guidelines.
- Loss of police operational animals, including horses, and mismanagement of obsolete firearms.
The report recommended that the Inspector-General of Police recover and remit the affected funds to the treasury. While police management defended the abandoned projects as rolled over under a zero-based budgeting system from 2017, auditors maintained that several explanations were inadequate.
