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'Shoot At Sight': IGP Disu Orders Police To Open Fire On Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms
'Shoot At Sight': IGP Disu Orders Police To Open Fire On Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms
NEWS
The Nigerian Record
7/24/20262 min read
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers across Nigeria to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, declaring that the police would no longer tolerate the unchecked movement of armed individuals across the country.
The directive forms part of renewed efforts by the Federal Government to combat the worsening insecurity, particularly in Benue State, where repeated attacks by armed groups have claimed hundreds of lives, displaced communities and destroyed property.
Disu issued the order on Friday during a stakeholders' meeting held at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
According to the Inspector-General, the directive followed President Bola Tinubu's instruction that the persistent insecurity and killings in Benue State must be brought to an end.
He emphasised that only duly authorised security personnel are legally permitted to carry firearms, warning that the era of passive policing has ended.
"You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated," the IGP said.
Disu further disclosed that police officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond decisively to armed threats without waiting for clearance or directives from superior officers.
"We have given them instructions. We have a Force Order 237. Police officers have been instructed that they don't need to wait for any superior order. They know where to deploy their firearms," he said.
"We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow.
"They have been instructed to shoot at sight. They have been trained to do what is necessary. But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you."
The Inspector-General appealed to residents of Benue State and Nigerians generally to support security agencies by providing credible and timely intelligence, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to efforts to curb armed criminality and restore peace.
He noted that while security agencies had been empowered to take decisive action against armed criminals, intelligence from members of the public would significantly improve the effectiveness of security operations.
Benue State has in recent months remained one of Nigeria's worst-hit states by violent attacks, with armed groups repeatedly invading communities, killing residents, displacing thousands of people and destroying homes, farmlands and other property.
The fresh directive comes amid mounting public concern over the deteriorating security situation in the North-Central state and growing calls for stronger government action to halt the bloodshed.
In response to the escalating violence, the Federal Government has continued to deploy additional security personnel to Benue and has adopted tougher security measures aimed at restoring law and order across the state.