A startling financial revelation has emerged from the corridors of power: the Nigerian Police Force reportedly spent a whopping ₦22.282 million on just 85 cartons of Cream Crackers biscuits—items meant as “dry rations” for officers on operations. This extraordinary figure has sparked widespread debate about how public funds are being managed. Sahara Reporters

Broken Down: How the Funds Were Allocated

According to payment records on the public Govspend portal—uncovered by investigative outlet SaharaReporters—the expenditures include:

• ₦7.073 million paid on October 26, 2023 for 25 cartons, labelled as logistics and consumables for covert security duties.
• Another ₦7.073 million on October 4, 2023, covering 30 cartons for operations in Taraba State.
• An additional ₦8.136 million on August 30, 2023, for another batch of 30 cartons used in Yobe State.

That translates to a staggering average of ₦261,717 per carton—a price tag that has left many Nigerians aghast.

Public Outcry and Comparisons

The same investigation revealed that earlier this year, the police also spent ₦13.3 million on just 24 packs of Carla Rose toilet rolls, nearly ten times the open-market rate of ₦1.32 million.

Online forums and social media erupted with mockery. One commenter quipped:

“Biscuits that must come with bulletproof wrapping and maybe even the Commissioner’s signature.”
Another lamented:
“Two million naira for retirees after 35 years? But crackers take priority.”