JUST IN: IGP Directs Police to Shoot Persons Caught with Illegal Firearms

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has ordered police officers across Nigeria to take decisive action against individuals found carrying illegal firearms.

He declared that security agencies will no longer tolerate the unlawful possession of weapons amid growing security concerns in parts of the country.

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

The meeting was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders and security stakeholders.

The police chief said the order followed renewed efforts by the Federal Government to tackle violent attacks and criminal activities, particularly in Benue State and other troubled areas.

According to him, only duly authorised security personnel are permitted by law to carry firearms. Also, he stressed that anyone moving around with illegal weapons would be treated as a threat to public safety.

“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” Disu said.

The IGP stated that the directive was in line with existing police operational guidelines and security regulations.

He explained that officers have already been trained on how and when to deploy firearms in situations involving armed threats.

“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,” he said.

Disu said the continued killing of security personnel by armed criminals had become unacceptable.

He noted that law enforcement agencies were determined to protect their officers while carrying out their constitutional duties.

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

Reaffirming the order, the police chief added that officers had been adequately trained to respond to dangerous situations.

“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 stated.

The IGP called on residents to support security agencies with credible and timely information that could help prevent attacks and track down criminal elements operating within communities.

He noted that intelligence gathered from local residents remains one of the most effective tools in combating insecurity and dismantling criminal networks.

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.

Speaking in Abuja early this month, during a meeting with officials of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Disu said the Force would intensify efforts to recover illicit weapons from unauthorised individuals.

He warned that the continued circulation of illegal arms remains a major threat to national security and peaceful elections.

The IGP said the police would strengthen collaboration with other security agencies and improve intelligence-sharing mechanisms to identify and recover weapons in the hands of criminals.

He also disclosed that the Force would encourage the voluntary surrender of illegally acquired firearms as part of broader efforts to reduce armed violence across the country.

The development followed an earlier directive issued by Disu in May ordering a comprehensive audit of arms and ammunition across police formations nationwide.

The exercise was aimed at preventing the diversion and misuse of weapons while strengthening accountability within the Force.

Around the same period, the police chief also warned officers against the reckless use of firearms and abuse of power.

“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,” Disu said during a police leadership engagement in Uyo.