No Mercy For Illegal Gun Carriers – IGP Orders Police To Shoot On Sight

• IGP Olatunji Disu orders police officers nationwide to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, declaring there will be “no mercy” for armed criminals threatening public safety.

• Directive, issued in Makurdi, is backed by Force Order 237, empowering officers to respond immediately to armed threats without seeking prior approval from superior officers.

• Police chief says the tough security measure follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive to end the persistent wave of killings and violent attacks that have plagued Benue State.

• Federal Government intensifies its nationwide anti-crime offensive as the IGP calls on Nigerians to support security agencies with credible intelligence to combat illegal arms proliferation and restore peace.

July 24 , () — The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has issued one of the strongest operational directives in recent years, ordering police officers across the country to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, as the Federal Government ramps up efforts to crush violent criminal groups and restore security in Benue State and other troubled parts of Nigeria.

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.

Disu said the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s instruction 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.

The IGP 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.

“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 police chief said the new directive was intended to send a clear message to armed criminals that the era of passive policing had ended.

Force Order 237 Provides Legal Backing

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.

According to him, 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. 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 said.

Disu noted that the directive was also aimed at protecting security personnel who have increasingly come under attack while responding to incidents across the country.

He maintained that officers would continue to operate within the law while taking decisive action against individuals posing immediate danger to public safety.

Residents Asked To Become Security Partners

The IGP urged residents of Benue State and Nigerians generally to see security as a collective responsibility by providing timely and credible intelligence capable of preventing attacks before they occur.

He said effective policing cannot succeed without active community participation, adding that information supplied by residents has repeatedly helped security agencies intercept criminal gangs, recover weapons and rescue victims.

Disu appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations and community vigilante groups to deepen collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the interest of lasting peace.

He assured citizens that the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to protecting lives, safeguarding communities and ensuring that perpetrators of violent crimes are brought to justice.

Benue Remains Epicentre of Security Crisis

Benue State has continued to experience recurring attacks by suspected armed groups, with dozens of communities affected by killings, kidnappings, arson and widespread displacement.

The violence has left hundreds dead over the years, destroyed homes and farmlands, disrupted economic activities and forced thousands of residents into internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

The worsening humanitarian situation has intensified calls for stronger federal intervention and more effective security operations to halt the bloodshed.