The Nigeria Police Force has strongly refuted media reports alleging that Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, issued a “shoot-on-sight” directive targeting individuals possessing illegal firearms in Benue State.
The controversy erupted following a stakeholders’ meeting held in Makurdi on Friday, July 24, where preliminary reports claimed the police chief authorized officers to immediately open fire on anyone caught carrying unauthorized weapons.
Addressing the misrepresentation in an official statement released on Saturday, the Force clarified that the Inspector-General’s comments were strictly grounded in Force Order 237, the statutory regulation governing the legal, tactical, and operational frameworks for firearm deployment by law enforcement personnel.
”At the stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu did not issue any ‘shoot-on-sight’ order as widely misreported,” the statement read. “What he actually said was that officers have been briefed on Force Order 237, which governs the legal and operational conditions for firearm use, and that they know when it is appropriate to deploy their weapons in line with established Rules of Engagement.”
The police leadership emphasized that while unauthorized weapon possession and violent crimes remain intolerable, law enforcement operations will continue to operate within the strict boundaries of constitutional protocols and professional restraint rather than arbitrary directives.
To dispel further confusion, the Force published an accompanying video recording of the Makurdi address, urging the public and media outlets to review the footage for accurate context regarding the police chief’s remarks.
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