Discord Unfolds in NASS as IGP Egbetokun Defends 2025 Budget

A charged atmosphere enveloped the National Assembly on Thursday as the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, delivered the proposed 2025 budget for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The session quickly devolved into a contentious exchange when two lawmakers raised objections, alleging discrepancies between the IGP’s verbal presentation and the budgetary documents previously disseminated to them.
Efforts by the committee chairman to navigate through the impasse by allowing the IGP to proceed while addressing the concerns in parallel were met with vehement opposition. The discord intensified, culminating in an acrimonious shouting match that prompted a senator to abruptly exit the session in protest.
Order Restored Amid Tense Proceedings
After the uproar subsided, proceedings resumed, with IGP Egbetokun reiterating his impassioned plea for the removal of the NPF from the restrictive envelope budgeting system. According to him, the current framework severely impedes the Force’s operational capacity to tackle the multifaceted security challenges confronting the nation.
He underscored the need for a paradigm shift, advocating for a dynamic and adaptive funding mechanism that aligns with the exigencies of national security. His argument was both a critique of systemic limitations and a call to action for transformative fiscal reforms within the police force.
Divided Opinions Among Lawmakers
The proposition to abandon the envelope system elicited mixed reactions from members of the assembly. Senator Abdul Ningi countered the IGP’s stance, arguing that the envelope budgeting system “lacks statutory recognition and has not been ratified by the National Assembly.” He insisted it should remain the normative approach unless a formal legislative review dictated otherwise.
Conversely, other legislators expressed alignment with the IGP’s vision, advocating for a re-evaluation of the police budgeting methodology. These lawmakers proposed a pivot toward a more flexible, needs-driven model, emphasizing that the existing structure stifles the operational efficacy of law enforcement.
The session, marked by its tempestuous exchanges, underscored the perennial friction between institutional reform advocates and defenders of entrenched fiscal policies. Whether the IGP’s proposals will catalyze substantive changes in the funding architecture remains to be seen, as the debate continues to polarize opinions within the legislative chambers.