Police officers across Nigeria have been directed to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, following a fresh directive by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, aimed at strengthening the fight against insecurity.
Disu issued the order on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, where he said the move was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to bring the persistent security challenges in the state under control.
The Inspector-General stressed that only duly authorised security personnel are legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that the police would no longer tolerate the unlawful possession of weapons.
“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” he said.
Disu explained that the directive is backed by Force Order 237, which empowers police officers to respond immediately to armed threats without seeking approval 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.
“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 police chief stated.
He urged residents to support security agencies by providing credible intelligence that could help combat armed criminality, noting that public cooperation remains vital to ongoing security operations.
Benue State has experienced a series of deadly attacks by armed groups in recent months, leading to the loss of lives, destruction of property and the displacement of many residents. The Federal Government has since intensified security operations in the state as part of broader efforts to restore peace.
(The Sun)