IG Orders Police to Shoot Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms Nationwide

IG Orders Police to Shoot Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms Nationwide

• IGP Olatunji Disu invokes Force Order 237, declares ‘no mercy’ for illegal gun carriers in new security crackdown following President Tinubu’s directive to end Benue State crisis

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has issued a sweeping directive ordering police officers across Nigeria to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, marking one of the toughest security measures adopted by the Nigeria Police Force in recent years as the government intensifies efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons and restore public safety across the country .

The directive was announced on Friday during a high-level stakeholders’ security meeting at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, where the police chief declared that law enforcement agencies would no longer tolerate the unchecked proliferation of illegal weapons or the activities of armed groups responsible for persistent attacks on communities that have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced in recent months . The meeting was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, and other security stakeholders who had gathered to find lasting solutions to the worsening security situation in the state .

According to Disu, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the prolonged insecurity in Benue State must be decisively addressed, assuring residents that security agencies had been mandated to take more proactive and robust action against those threatening lives and property across the state . The police chief described the insecurity in Benue State as unacceptable and a source of “sleepless nights” for residents and security agencies, noting that Benue was once known as a peaceful and hospitable state with a thriving agricultural economy but had been overtaken by violence that now threatens national food security .

Disu explained that the order is anchored on Force Order 237, the Nigeria Police Force operational guideline governing the use of firearms by officers in situations involving imminent threats to life, adding that police personnel have been fully briefed on the provisions of the order and no longer require approval from superior officers before responding to armed threats where immediate action is necessary . “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 stated, emphasizing that the directive empowers officers to act decisively in the face of armed danger without bureaucratic delays that could cost lives .

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The police chief said the directive was also aimed at protecting security personnel who have increasingly come under attack while responding to incidents across the country, lamenting the continued killing of police officers, soldiers, and other security agents by armed criminals who have shown no regard for law and order . “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 declared, stressing that law enforcement agencies were determined to protect their officers while carrying out their constitutional duties .

Disu stressed that only members of authorised security agencies are legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that anyone found openly carrying illegal weapons would henceforth be regarded as an armed threat and treated accordingly . “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, issuing a stern warning to those who have turned the possession of illegal firearms into a status symbol or a tool of intimidation against innocent citizens .

The directive comes against a backdrop of repeated attacks by armed groups across Benue State in recent months, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of thousands of residents, and destruction of property worth millions of naira . Just days before the IGP’s directive, gunmen attacked Ankpechi community in Ohimini Local Government Area, forcing over 1,000 residents to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring communities . In another recent incident, at least eight people—including three children—were killed in Otukpo Local Government Area, with police describing the attack as “purely a terrorist attack” and launching a manhunt for the perpetrators .

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, who was present at the stakeholders’ meeting, appreciated the IGP’s visit, describing it as timely and a demonstration of the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to tackling insecurity through community policing and collaboration with state governments . Alia regretted that attacks on communities in the state had resulted in the loss of many lives, disruption of farming activities, and threats to national food security, while also commending the efforts of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies in their ongoing fight against armed groups in the state .

The IGP called on residents to support security agencies with credible intelligence, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to the fight against insecurity and the success of ongoing security operations . He noted that intelligence gathered from local residents remains one of the most effective tools in combating insecurity and dismantling criminal networks, adding that community members should see themselves as partners in the fight against crime rather than mere spectators . “The Nigeria Police Force will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you,” Disu emphasised, maintaining that officers would continue to operate within the law while taking decisive action against individuals posing immediate danger to public safety .

The development follows the IGP’s earlier warning to officers against the reckless use of firearms and abuse of power . During a police leadership engagement in Uyo, Disu had said: “Impunity ends now. Any officer who misuses his weapon, who kills a citizen without lawful justification, will be dismissed and prosecuted. Not transferred. Not queried. Not redeployed. No badge is a license to kill. No uniform is a shield from justice,” demonstrating the police chief’s commitment to balancing the use of force with accountability and respect for human rights . In a related development, the IGP reiterated the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to tackling the spread of illegal firearms across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning during a meeting with officials of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons that the continued circulation of illegal arms remains a major threat to national security and peaceful elections .

IG Orders Police to Shoot Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms Nationwide