₦100 Million Transfer to IGP’s Son Reversed as Police Describe Error, Questions Linger Over Controls
The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that a ₦100 million payment transferred into the personal bank account of Victor Egbetokun, son of the outgoing Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was made in error and subsequently returned to the originating government account.
The clarification followed widespread public attention generated by online claims that the funds originated from the Anambra State Government security vote account. The issue was discussed publicly after it was referenced by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, prompting calls for explanation from the police authorities.
Speaking on a current affairs programme aired by Channels Television, the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the transfer was detected immediately after it entered the account and was reversed without delay. According to Hundeyin, the account holder alerted his bank and instructed that the funds be returned once the alert was received.
Hundeyin further said the account holder provided bank statements documenting the brief appearance of the funds and later closed the account to avoid further controversy. He added that a formal petition had been submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, requesting an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the transaction and the public allegations linked to it.
The police description of the transfer as an administrative or banking error has not been disputed by any official financial record released to the public. However, the incident has drawn attention to the internal approval processes governing security vote disbursements and the safeguards designed to prevent public funds from being routed to private accounts, even temporarily.
While authorities maintain that no personal benefit was derived from the transfer and that the funds were fully returned, the episode has intensified public debate about transparency, audit trails, and oversight in the handling of sensitive government expenditures. Analysts note that such scrutiny reflects broader concerns about institutional accountability rather than the outcome of this single transaction.
As of the time of reporting, no enforcement action has been announced, and no independent audit findings have been published regarding how the transfer was initiated or authorised. The police have indicated that any further clarification would depend on the outcome of ongoing reviews by relevant agencies.
