The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, clarified on Friday that the Nigeria Police Force did not submit two different 2025 budgetary proposal documents to the joint committees on Police Affairs and Police Institutions of the National Assembly, contrary to reports circulating in some quarters.

In a statement issued in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, regarding the drama that unfolded during the presentation, IGP Egbetokun described the near disruption of the session as “unnecessary and avoidable.” He explained that the document presented had been shared with all committee members beforehand.

According to the statement, *“The IGP explained that two versions of the budget documents were provided to the committee members: a comprehensive copy and an abridged version.

“While both contained the same figures and facts, the abridged version used simplified language to facilitate understanding. At the start of the session, the committee members unanimously agreed with a motion that the IGP should present the abridged version since they all had access to both documents.

“However, distinguished Senator Onyekachi Nwoebonyi (Ebonyi North), who arrived late, began referencing the comprehensive version while the IGP was presenting the abridged version.

“Despite explanations from other committee members about the earlier agreement and the consistency between both versions, the senator refused to listen and abruptly left the session.

“The IGP described the incident as unnecessary drama that could have been avoided had the senator been receptive to the clarifications provided.

“The IGP reiterates that the Nigeria Police Force did not submit two different 2025 budgetary proposal documents to the joint committees at the National Assembly, contrary to the reports circulating in the media.”*

The Inspector-General of Police also highlighted the significant challenges faced by the Nigeria Police Force with respect to budget allocations. According to him, these include inadequate funding, which hampers modernization and effective service delivery, the restrictive envelope budget system, and delays in fund releases. These challenges continue to impede the Force’s ability to address its expanding and dynamic responsibilities.

The IGP called on the public to remain patient and supportive of the Police, assuring that the Force remains committed to delivering exceptional service with professionalism and dedication.

A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos has restrained the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from arresting vehicles with faded number plates.

Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order on Friday and also restricted the FRSC from imposing any fine or punishment on any drivers for driving with a faded vehicle plate number.

The court made the orders while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a legal practitioner, Chinwike Chamberlain Ezebube against the FRSC.

Ezebube in his Originating Summons filed on February 13, 2024, had asked the court to determine among other things: “Whether the Defendant, pursuant to Section 5 (g) and Section 10 (3)(f) of the Federal Road Safety Commission Act 2007 being the sole designer and producer of Vehicle Number Plates in Nigeria, is not absolutely responsible for the quality and durability of the vehicle number plates as are produced by it?

“Whether the defendant can make it an offence and impose a penalty against the plaintiff and or other Nigerians for driving a vehicle with faded vehicle number plates due to poor quality production as designed and produced by the Defendant?

“Whether the defendant is not obligated to replace at no cost to the Plaintiff and or other Nigerians, the vehicle number plates when same is faded due to poor quality manufacturing by the Defendant?”

The lawyer asked the court to determine these issues in his favour. He also urged the court to make the following orders: “an order restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from declaring it an offence for the Plaintiff to drive with a faded vehicle number plate.

“An order restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from imposing any fine or punishment on the Plaintiff for driving with a faded vehicle number plate.

“An order mandating the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), to replace at no extra cost, Vehicle Licence Number Plate LSD905EQ or any faded vehicle plate numbers of the Plaintiff’s vehicle or vehicles upon the payment of the initial vehicle Plate Number issuance cost.

However, the FRSC through its lawyer, B.O Nnamani, filed a counter affidavit asking the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s suit with punitive cost.

Delivering judgment on the suit, Justice Aluko held that: “While Defendant cannot criminalize the use of faded vehicle number plates, Plaintiff has a duty to approach Defendant for a replacement of his faded vehicle number plate upon payment of the requisite fees for that purpose.

The court said, “By way of conclusion, I hold the view that Defendant cannot criminalize the use of faded vehicle Number Plate and has no power to impose a fine on Plaintiff for using faded vehicle Number plate or impound the Plaintiff vehicle on such grounds without the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

“Having examined the affidavit evidence before the court and determined the above questions, judgment is entered as follows: “An order of the Honourable Court restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from declaring it an offence to drive with a faded vehicle number plate is granted.

“An order of the honourable court restricting the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), from imposing any fine or punishment on the Plaintiff for driving with a faded vehicle number plate is granted.

“An order directing Plaintiff to approach Defendant for the replacement of his faded vehicle number plate LSD905EQ and that Defendant shall replace same upon payment of the reasonable and requisite fee is granted.”

UK Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has revealed that when she was in Nigeria, terrible government policies destroyed many homes economically.

Because of that, she migrated to the UK at age 16 with her father’s last £100.

Due to that terrible experience, she would never want the UK to become a country like Nigeria “where terrible governments destroy lives”.

In her first speech of the year on Thursday, Badenoch explained her push for “real conservatism” that guarantees a “better, richer and safer” tomorrow for the younger generation of Britons.

“Why this matters so much to me is because I know what it is like to have something and lose it. I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.

“I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer and poorer despite working harder as their money disappeared with inflation,” Badenoch said.

The Tory leader narrated how she migrated to the UK at age 16 with her father’s last £100 and would never want the UK to become a country like Nigeria where terrible governments destroy lives.

“I came back to the UK at 16 with my father’s last £100 and a hope of a better life. So, I’ve lived with the consequences of a terrible government that destroys lives, and I never ever want that to happen here”, Badenoch said.