Heated debate erupts in National Assembly as IGP Egbetokun defends 2025 Police budget


The National Assembly witnessed a tense session on January 16, 2025, as Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun defended the Nigeria Police Force’s 2025 budget. 

Egbetokun called for removing the police from the envelope budgetary system to ensure accurate funding and proposed increased allocations for infrastructure, training, and operational needs. 

The session, marked by heated exchanges, highlighted the pressing need for adequate police funding to enhance national security and operational efficiency

Tensions,  according to a Channels Television report, rose when two lawmakers raised concerns that the IGP’s presentation did not align with the documents they had received.

The committee chairman’s attempt to allow the IGP to continue while the issue was resolved met strong resistance, leading to a heated shouting session. The dispute escalated, prompting a senator to stage a walkout.

Order was eventually said to be restored, and the IGP resumed his presentation, reiterating his longstanding call for the NPF to be removed from the restrictive envelope budget system.

He argued that the current budgeting framework hampers the Force’s ability to effectively address national security challenges.

In response, several lawmakers, including Senator Abdul Ningi stated that “envelop was never a legal entity and neither was it ratified by the National Assembly and should therefore continue as the normative.”

Other lawmakers, the report added,threw their weight behind the idea of reviewing the budgeting process for the police, suggesting a shift towards a more flexible and needs-based funding model.

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