Police officers nationwide have been instructed to shoot on sight anyone caught carrying illegal firearms, under a new directive issued to confront escalating nationwide security threats.
The order was announced on Friday by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu during a stakeholders’ summit at the Government House in Makurdi, Benue State. Disu explained that the mandate stems from direct instructions issued by President Bola Tinubu to put an end to chronic unrest in the state.
Empowered by Force Order 237, officers may now respond decisively to armed hostiles without seeking clearance from superiors. Warning that passive policing has ended, Disu stressed that carrying arms without legal authorisation would no longer be permitted.
“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” Disu declared.
Emphasising the need to protect security forces from casualties, the Inspector-General confirmed officers possess full operational backing to deploy their weapons. However, he noted that the success of these measures relies heavily on local communities providing credible intelligence.
“They have been instructed to shoot at sight,” Disu stated. “They have been trained to do what is necessary. But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you.”
Benue State has suffered months of violent attacks by armed groups, causing widespread deaths, displacement, and property destruction. In response, the federal government has deployed extra forces and implemented tougher countermeasures to restore order.