In a brazen breach of Nigeria’s fiscal laws, the Nigeria Police Force has channelled ₦149 million into the personal bank account of retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Danladi Lalas to underwrite Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun’s charter flights.
A SaharaReporters deep dive into the federal government’s Govspend portal lays bare four separate disbursements between March and September 2024, each in clear violation of Chapter Seven, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations (2009) – which explicitly forbids payment of public funds into private accounts.
Breakdown of Dubious Disbursements
- 4 March 2024: ₦17.2 million for flights from Abuja to Anambra and Bauchi.
- 18 March 2024: ₦14.9 million for a similar charter service.
- 6 August 2024: ₦14 million for Abuja–Lagos runways.
- 27 September 2024: A staggering ₦103.4 million for multiple state visits.
Each tranche landed in Lalas’ personal account – bypassing the official charter-company escrow entirely.
Flouting Fiscal Discipline Amid Budget Strains
The scandal erupts against the backdrop of an already strained police budget. In the 2023 appropriation, the National Assembly approved just ₦871.3 billion for police operations – a figure the Minister of Police Affairs lamented as “inadequate” to secure lives and property.
Yet, while frontline officers decry shortages of patrol vehicles and body cameras, a cosy inner circle pockets luxury flight fees through illicit channels.
Legal Outcry and Comparisons
Lawyer Kehinde Awosusi warns that “under no circumstances should a civil servant receive government money into a personal account… It is a clear affront on the position of the law”.
Indeed, this echoes the 2023 suspension of Minister Betta Edu, whose transfer of ₦585.2 million into a private account sparked a high‑profile probe by President Tinubu.
Across the Atlantic, former US Health Secretary Tom Price’s \$60,000 in charter flights – despite pledging fiscal restraint – triggered bipartisan condemnation of government largesse.
Maintenance Meltdown and Leadership Failings
Lalas presided over the Police Air Wing from 2018 until his controversial retirement, during which operable aircraft dwindled from six to one.
Sources reveal that under-investment and opaque procurement protocols have grounded the fleet, leaving Egbetokun reliant on charter firms and personal pay‑offs – a monument to mismanagement.
Accountability, Oversight, Reform
Shrink the Ivory Tower: Tax‑paying Nigerians and global observers demand ruthless audits of police finances.
Sunlight as Disinfectant: Publish all security expenditures on open portals with real‑time updates.
Zero‑Tolerance for Corruption: Enact stiff sanctions – suspension, asset forfeiture, and criminal charges – for officers who treat public coffers as personal piggy banks.
Empower Parliament: Strengthen legislative oversight of security votes, ensuring full compliance with Financial Regulations.
The Road Ahead
This scandal not only undermines public trust in the police but also deters foreign investors wary of endemic graft.
Unless swift, transparent action – from independent probes to prosecutorial follow‑through – is taken, Nigeria risks cementing its reputation as a haven for bureaucratic self‑enrichment.
As conservative commentators on both sides of the Atlantic agree, governments must practise what they preach on fiscal responsibility, lest they forfeit moral authority.
