Nigerian Police Officer Loses Pistol at Beer Parlour, Triggers Panic Search

An officer attached to the MOPOL 39 Osogbo Base in Osun State has reportedly lost his service pistol at a beer parlour near the base, raising fresh concerns over firearm accountability within the Nigeria Police Force.

According to sources within the unit, the disappearance of the weapon has caused tension at the base as officers scramble to recover it. A senior officer confirmed the incident, describing it as part of a broader pattern of negligence within the force.

The missing pistol had been booked out from the base’s armoury late last year by an officer identified only as Inspector Monday. However, there is no official record of its return. The officer reportedly claimed to have handed it back to an armourer, Inspector Osas, but the arms registry shows no such entry. Efforts to trace the firearm have so far been unsuccessful.

Further details from police insiders suggest the pistol went missing at a beer parlour adjacent to the MOPOL 39 base, a location frequented by some officers, even during working hours. The revelation has drawn criticism over the handling of weapons by law enforcement personnel.

The Osun State Police Command has yet to officially comment on the incident. Efforts to reach spokesperson Yemisi Opalola for a response were unsuccessful as her phone remained unreachable.

This incident comes amid a wider controversy over missing police firearms under the leadership of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun. A leaked police memo previously revealed multiple cases of missing weapons, including those lost in a deadly ambush by bandits in Zamfara State. The document detailed how five police officers and three soldiers were killed in the attack, with the assailants seizing four service rifles, including AK-47s.