The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers across Nigeria to take decisive action against anyone found carrying illegal firearms as part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity.
Disu gave the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
According to the police chief, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the persistent security challenges in Benue State must be brought to an end.
He said only authorised security personnel were legally permitted to carry firearms, warning that the era of passive policing was over.
“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 disclosed that police officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond swiftly to armed threats without waiting for further instructions from senior officers.
“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 expressed concern over the continued loss of lives among security personnel, including police officers and soldiers, and said officers had been trained and authorised to respond appropriately to threats.
“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow,” he added.
However, he stressed that the success of security operations depended on the cooperation of residents, urging members of the public to provide credible information to security agencies.
Benue State has experienced a series of attacks by armed groups in recent months, leading to deaths, displacement of residents and destruction of property.
The Federal Government has continued to deploy additional security personnel and introduce measures aimed at restoring peace and stability in the state.
