Direct police to open fire on individuals found with unlawful guns, Inspector General instructs

n n

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers across the country to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms.

n

This was said to be part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity.

n

Disu gave the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

n

According to the IG, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the persistent insecurity in Benue State must be brought to an end.

n

He stressed that only authorised security personnel were legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that the era of passive policing was over.

n

“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.

n

Disu disclosed that police officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond decisively to armed threats without waiting for directives from superior officers.

n

The IG 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.

n

“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow.

n

“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.”

n

He called on residents to support security agencies with credible information, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to the fight against armed criminality.

n

Benue State has witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of residents and destruction of property.

n

The federal government has continued to deploy additional security personnel and adopt tougher measures aimed at restoring peace in the state.

n n