The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed reports claiming that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, issued a “shoot-on-sight” directive during a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Benue State.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Force described the reports as a misrepresentation of the IGP’s remarks, insisting that he never authorised officers to use indiscriminate force.
According to the police, the IGP only restated the provisions of Force Order 237, which outlines the legal and operational conditions under which police personnel may use firearms.
The Force explained that Disu reminded stakeholders that officers had already been adequately briefed on the order and were fully aware of the circumstances in which firearms could be deployed in line with the established Rules of Engagement.
It added that the IGP’s comments were aimed at reinforcing professionalism and strict compliance with existing operational guidelines, not issuing a blanket order to shoot suspects on sight.
The statement also noted that the police chief warned that illegal possession of firearms and all forms of violent crimes, including unlawful killings, would not be tolerated.
Urging the public to disregard what it called misleading reports, the Force maintained that claims suggesting the IGP gave a “shoot-on-sight” order were inaccurate and taken out of context.
The police further encouraged Nigerians and media organisations to watch the full video of the Inspector-General’s remarks to better understand the context and help prevent the spread of misinformation.
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