Police Deny ‘Shoot-on-Sight’ Directive, Say IGP Disu’s Makurdi Remarks Were Misrepresented

The Nigeria Police Force has rejected reports suggesting that Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, ordered officers to shoot anyone found carrying illegal firearms, describing the claim as misleading and inconsistent with the police chief’s actual remarks.

The clarification followed reports and public reactions to comments attributed to the IGP during a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Benue State, where security concerns and the proliferation of illicit firearms were discussed.

In a statement issued on Saturday, July 25, 2026, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said the IGP did not issue a blanket “shoot-on-sight” directive.

According to the police, Disu’s remarks were instead focused on the legal and operational framework governing the use of firearms by police personnel. The Force said the IGP reminded officers that the carrying of firearms is restricted to personnel legally authorised to bear arms and warned against the unchecked circulation of illegal weapons.

The police explained that the IGP referred to Force Order 237, the regulation that guides police officers on the circumstances and conditions under which firearms may be deployed in the course of official duties.

The Force maintained that officers are expected to understand when the use of firearms is legally justified and to operate within established rules of engagement and applicable laws.

“At no time did he instruct officers to shoot anyone simply because they were found with an illegal firearm,” the police said in the clarification.

The controversy appears to have arisen from remarks in which the IGP reportedly told officers that they had been instructed on when to deploy their firearms and did not need to wait for a superior officer’s permission in situations where the law and operational rules already authorised action.

Disu also expressed concern over the continued loss of police officers, soldiers and other security personnel in confrontations with armed criminal groups, while warning that the unauthorised possession and use of firearms would not be tolerated.

The police clarification comes against the backdrop of heightened concern over insecurity and the circulation of illicit arms in parts of Nigeria. The Force has, in recent months, continued to emphasise efforts to recover illegal weapons, strengthen accountability over police arms and ammunition, and improve intelligence-led operations against violent crime.

The Nigeria Police Force has also previously stressed that officers who unlawfully misuse firearms will face disciplinary and legal consequences. In an April 2026 statement concerning a fatal shooting in Effurun, Delta State, the Force said an officer found to have violated Force Order 237 would be subject to dismissal and prosecution, reaffirming that police uniforms do not provide immunity from the law.

Against this background, the Force urged members of the public and media organisations to exercise caution when reporting statements concerning security operations, stressing that incomplete or distorted accounts can cause unnecessary alarm and undermine public confidence.

The police encouraged Nigerians to watch the full video recording of the IGP’s remarks at the Makurdi meeting in order to assess his comments in their proper context.

The clarification, signed by CSP Ani Iniedu, Force Public Relations Officer at Force Headquarters, Abuja, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s stated commitment to protecting lives and property while carrying out its responsibilities within the Constitution and applicable laws.

The central issue, therefore, is not whether the police intend to confront the proliferation of illegal firearms—a position the Force has repeatedly made clear—but whether such enforcement is conducted strictly within the law. The police’s latest clarification seeks to draw that distinction, insisting that the IGP’s remarks should not be interpreted as authorising indiscriminate or unlawful use of force.

As concerns over insecurity and illegal arms continue to dominate public discourse, the distinction between lawful use of force and arbitrary violence remains critical. The police clarification therefore places emphasis on adherence to Force Order 237, established rules of engagement, constitutional safeguards and accountability in the exercise of police powers.