The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers nationwide to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, declaring that the Nigeria Police Force will no longer tolerate the indiscriminate possession of weapons by unauthorised persons.
The directive, issued on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, forms part of renewed efforts by the Federal Government to curb rising insecurity, particularly in Benue State.
Disu said the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to security agencies to end the wave of violent attacks and killings in the state.
The police chief warned that only authorised security personnel are legally permitted to carry firearms, stressing that anyone found with illegal weapons would be treated as an armed threat.
“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 use firearms against 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,” he said.
The IGP lamented the increasing number of security personnel killed in the line of duty, saying the police could no longer afford to continue losing officers to armed criminals.
“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,” he added.
Disu urged residents to support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence, saying community collaboration remains vital to tackling armed criminality.
Benue State has experienced repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, leading to scores of deaths, displacement of residents and widespread destruction of property.
The Federal Government has since intensified security operations in the state through the deployment of additional security personnel and the introduction of tougher measures aimed at restoring peace and preventing further attacks.
FOLLOW US
FOR MORE HERE
