The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has ordered nationwide shoot-at-sight on individuals with illegal firearms.
He gave the marching order during stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, Benue State capital, on Friday.
Disu said the move followed President Bola Tinubu’s instruction that the perennial security challenges in the state must be brought to an end.
The police chief noted that only authorised security operatives are legally permitted to carry firearms, warning that law enforcement agencies 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 was backed by Force Order 237, which empowers police officers to respond immediately to armed threats without waiting for 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,” he said.
He said the decision was informed by the increasing number of casualties among security personnel in the line of duty.
“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow,” the IGP said.
While reiterating the directive, Disu added: “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.”
He urged residents to support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence, noting that community cooperation remains vital to efforts to combat armed criminality.
