IGP Orders Police to Shoot Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms
IGP Olatunji Disu
BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers nationwide to shoot on sight anyone found in possession of illegal firearms as part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.
The directive was issued on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, Benue State, amid escalating security challenges in the state.
According to the police chief, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s instruction that the persistent security crisis in Benue must be decisively addressed.
Disu stressed that only duly authorized security personnel are legally permitted to carry firearms, warning that law enforcement agencies would no longer condone 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 declared.
The IGP explained that the directive is backed by Force Order 237, which empowers police officers to respond immediately to armed threats without seeking prior 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 noted that the decision was necessitated by the increasing number of security personnel being killed in the line of duty 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,” Disu stated.
Reaffirming the directive, the IGP said: “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 with timely and credible intelligence, emphasizing that community participation remains critical in combating armed criminality.
Benue State has witnessed a wave of attacks by armed groups in recent months, resulting in the deaths of scores of residents, displacement of thousands, and widespread destruction of property.
The Federal Government has continued to bolster security operations in the state through the deployment of additional personnel and the adoption of tougher measures aimed at restoring peace and preventing further violence.
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