A heated confrontation broke out in the National Assembly on Thursday during the 2025 budget defence session as Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, presented the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) budget.

The session turned contentious when two lawmakers questioned discrepancies between the IGP’s presentation and the budget documents provided to them. The committee chairman’s effort to let the IGP proceed while resolving the issue was met with strong opposition, triggering a loud exchange. The situation escalated further, leading to a senator walking out in protest.

Calm was eventually restored, allowing the IGP to continue his presentation. Egbetokun reiterated his call for the removal of the NPF from the restrictive envelope budget system, arguing that the current framework limits the Force’s capacity to effectively address the nation’s security challenges.

In response, some lawmakers, including Senator Abdul Ningi, dismissed the envelope system as lacking legal backing and unratified by the National Assembly, stating it should remain under review.

Other lawmakers supported revisiting the police budgeting process, advocating for a more flexible, needs-driven funding model to ensure the NPF is better equipped to tackle security concerns.