Public expenditure records have revealed that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) spent a total of ₦13.3 million on toilet paper and ₦149 million on private aircraft charter services within a span of one year. The spending, uncovered through data published on the federal government’s transparency portal, Govspend, has raised concerns over the management of public funds by law enforcement authorities.
According to the records, between April and July 2023, the Police paid ₦13,358,000 to a vendor identified as Waves Fulfillment Limited for the supply of 24 packets of Carla Rose toilet rolls, with each packet containing 48 rolls. The payments were made in two separate tranches.
The first transaction was recorded on April 21, 2023, with ₦6,558,000 paid for the supply of 12 packets. A second payment of ₦6,800,000 was made on July 27, 2023, also for 12 packets. Together, the two payments covered 24 packets of toilet paper.
However, a market survey shows a significant discrepancy between the amount paid by the police and the prevailing retail prices of the same product. On major Nigerian e-commerce platforms such as Jumia and Konga, a packet of 48 Carla Rose toilet rolls sells for between ₦50,000 and ₦55,000. This suggests that 24 packets should cost no more than ₦1.32 million at market rates. Even when adjusted for a 20 percent profit margin, bringing the cost per packet to ₦66,000, the total would still only amount to ₦1.584 million—far less than the ₦13.3 million disbursed.
The inflated cost has prompted renewed scrutiny of government procurement practices, particularly within the Nigeria Police Force.
In a separate case, the police made a series of payments totaling ₦149 million in 2024 for the charter of aircraft to transport the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for official assignments across the country. The funds, according to spending records, were transferred directly into the personal bank account of a now-retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Danladi Lalas, who oversaw the Police Airwing until his retirement.
Four separate payments were made:
- ₦17.2 million on March 4, 2024, for a flight from Abuja to Anambra and then to Bauchi.
- ₦14.9 million on March 18, 2024, for another charter service.
- ₦14 million on August 6, 2024, for travel between Abuja and Lagos.
- ₦103.4 million on September 27, 2024, for aircraft services to transport the IGP across various states.
The cumulative ₦149 million was paid to Lalas’ private account, instead of directly to the aircraft charter company, raising questions about accountability and compliance with public finance laws. Nigeria’s Financial Regulations (2009), specifically Section 713, states that “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.”
Legal experts and anti-corruption advocates have described the payment arrangement as a breach of federal financial regulations. According to Kehinde Awosusi, a legal analyst, the law does not permit government funds to be routed through personal accounts of public servants, regardless of the intended purpose.
“Under no circumstances should a civil servant receive government money into a personal account, whether for income or expenditure,” Awosusi said. “This practice contradicts both the letter and the spirit of financial regulations.”
The revelations come amid a broader trend of controversial police expenditures. Earlier data from Govspend shows that the NPF also spent ₦86 million on Christmas decorations for the Force Headquarters in Abuja, and for the IGP’s official residences in Abuja and Lagos. The payment was made to Wysdum Integrated Services Limited for what was described as a “comprehensive decoration” project.
All the transactions were recorded under the “Police Command and Formations” expenditure line item.
While no official response has been issued by the Nigeria Police Force or the Ministry of Police Affairs regarding the spending, the findings have added to public concern over the need for improved oversight of procurement processes and adherence to established financial laws.
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