Police Deny Reports Of IGP’s ‘Shoot-On-Sight’ Order

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed reports claiming that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, ordered officers to shoot criminals on sight during a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Benue State.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Force described the reports as a misrepresentation of the IGP’s remarks, explaining that he only reiterated the provisions of Force Order 237, which regulates the legal and operational use of firearms by police officers.

According to the statement, the IGP informed stakeholders that officers had been adequately briefed on the provisions of the order and understood the circumstances under which firearms could be deployed in line with the Nigeria Police Force’s established Rules of Engagement.

The police said the Inspector-General’s comments were aimed at reinforcing professionalism and strict adherence to existing operational guidelines, not authorising indiscriminate use of force.

The statement added that the IGP also stressed that the Force would not tolerate illegal possession of firearms or acts of violence, including unlawful killings.

The Nigeria Police Force urged the public and the media to disregard reports suggesting that the IGP issued a “shoot-on-sight” directive, describing the claims as inaccurate and taken out of context.

It further encouraged Nigerians to watch the full video of the Inspector-General’s remarks to better understand the context of his statement and help prevent the spread of misinformation.