A heated altercation erupted among federal lawmakers at the National Assembly Complex on Thursday during the 2025 budget defence led by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The tension began when the IG started presenting a breakdown of funds earmarked for the construction of five zonal police headquarters across Nigeria.
As Egbetokun delved into the details, Mark Esset, a House of Representatives member from Akwa Ibom, interrupted, questioning why the information he was sharing was not included in the documents previously distributed to lawmakers.
The situation escalated when Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, a member of the All Progressives Congress from Ebonyi North, voiced his frustration. He asserted that as a senator, he should have the proper copy of the document that the IG was referencing.
“We are here to serve Nigerians, and Nigerians should see us as a very serious institution,” Nwebonyi emphasized. “We are not against the presentation of the IG. But I, as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, should have what the IG is reading.”
Despite his objection, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, Abubakar Yalleman, overruled Nwebonyi’s point of order, permitting the IG to continue his presentation.
Fuming over the decision, Nwebonyi gathered his belongings and stormed out of the session.
As he left, he exchanged angry words with several House members, who responded by jeering at him.
Yusuf Gagdi, the House representative for Panshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency in Plateau State, expressed his disappointment with the incident.
He explained that the committee’s choice to allow the IG to proceed was in line with parliamentary procedure and criticized lawmakers for interjecting when they did not have the floor.
After the dust settled, Egbetokun resumed his presentation, underscoring the need for adequate funding for the police force. He also advocated for the abolishment of the envelope budgetary system.
Regarding recruitment, the IG revealed that President Bola Tinubu had increased the annual recruitment quota from 10,000 to 30,000 officers, a move he said would significantly boost the police’s effectiveness.
Egbetokun urged the National Assembly to assist the police in fulfilling their duties, stressing, “Otherwise, we are entirely dependent on budgetary allocations.”
He acknowledged the committee’s recognition of the police’s chronic underfunding.
