The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms.
Disu issued the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
He said this followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s instruction that the lingering security crisis in the state must be brought to an end.
He said: “You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country.
“It will not be tolerated.”
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.
He said: “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.”
Disu told the stakeholders that the decision was informed by the increasing number of casualties among security personnel in the line of duty.
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 urged residents to support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence, noting that community cooperation remains vital to efforts to combat armed criminality.
Addressing stakeholders during the meeting, Governor Hyacinth Alia reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening security through sustained collaboration with security agencies.
He reiterated his longstanding call for the establishment of state police, arguing that officers with local knowledge of communities and terrain would significantly improve security operations and response time.
Governor Alia described the IGP’s visit as timely and reassuring, saying it underscored the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to community policing, intelligence gathering, and partnership with state governments in tackling insecurity.
He noted that his administration had consistently supported security agencies with operational vehicles, motorcycles, communication gadgets, and other logistics while promoting inter-agency collaboration through regular security council meetings, intelligence sharing, and coordinated operations.
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He also pledged the state’s full support for the proposed 14-day security sweep across Benue State.
He commended President Tinubu for the Federal Government’s support in addressing security challenges and assured the Inspector-General of the state’s continued cooperation in restoring lasting peace and facilitating the safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral communities.
Reacting to the visit, Benue State Youth Leader and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Organisation and Illegal Levies, Hon. Gbenda Terver, said the prompt presence of the Inspector-General had given the people of the state a renewed sense of belonging and confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
According to Terver, the visit also helped dispel allegations that Benue youths were involved in criminal activities or the unlawful possession of arms.
He said: “The Inspector-General’s visit has brought calm and renewed hope to our people.
“It has also helped clear the misconception that Benue youths are responsible for acts capable of disrupting law and order.
“Benue youths are law-abiding citizens who genuinely desire peace, not only in Benue State but across Nigeria.”
Terver assured that the youths would continue to respect constituted authority and remain partners in promoting peace, security and community development.
