The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers nationwide to take decisive action against anyone found carrying illegal firearms, authorising them to use lethal force where necessary in line with existing operational guidelines.
The directive was issued on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, Benue State, as part of renewed efforts to curb insecurity.
According to the IGP, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the lingering security challenges in Benue must be brought to an end.
Disu stressed that only authorised security personnel are legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that the era of passive policing was over.
“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.
The police chief explained that officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond immediately to armed threats without waiting for 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.
“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers and other members of the security agencies dying unnecessarily.
“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 urged residents to support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence, noting that public cooperation remains essential in tackling armed criminality.
Benue State has witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, leading to the loss of lives, displacement of residents and destruction of property.
The Federal Government has continued to deploy additional security personnel and strengthen security operations in a bid to restore peace and stability in the state.
