The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers across the country to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, declaring that only authorised security personnel are permitted to bear arms.
Disu issued the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity.
According to the IGP, President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to bring the security challenges in Benue State to an end, stressing that law enforcement officers must take decisive action against armed criminals.
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“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” Disu said.
He explained that the directive was backed by the Nigeria Police Force’s operational guidelines, adding that officers no longer need to wait for additional authorisation before engaging armed suspects in situations permitted by the law.
“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 stated.
The police chief said the Force could no longer tolerate the continued killing of security personnel by criminal elements across the country.
“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow,” he said.
Disu noted that officers have been adequately trained to respond to security threats within the rules governing the use of force.
“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 IGP added.
He appealed to residents to support security agencies by providing credible information that would aid efforts to restore peace and improve security, particularly in Benue State, where attacks by armed groups have continued to claim lives and displace communities.
The stakeholders’ meeting formed part of ongoing engagements between security agencies, government officials and community leaders aimed at strengthening collaboration in the fight against insecurity.