"Shoot on sight": IGP Disu orders police to open fire on illegal gun carriers nationwide

• Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has directed officers nationwide to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, saying only authorised security personnel may bear arms.

• The directive, announced in Makurdi, Benue State, follows President Bola Tinubu's call for stronger action against insecurity and is backed by Force Order 237.

• The IGP urged Nigerians to support security agencies with credible intelligence, saying public cooperation is essential to tackling armed crime and improving national security.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has ordered police officers across Nigeria to adopt a tougher approach against the unlawful possession of firearms, directing them to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal weapons.

The directive was announced on Friday, July 24, 2026, during a security stakeholders' meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, Benue State. 

Addressing government officials, traditional rulers and security stakeholders, Disu said the order is part of renewed efforts to tackle violent crime and restore security in Benue and other parts of the country affected by armed attacks.

IGP Disu stated:

According to the IGP, the directive follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's instruction to security agencies to take decisive action against criminal groups responsible for persistent violence across the country. 

He stressed that only legally authorised security personnel are permitted to carry firearms, warning that anyone found bearing weapons without lawful authority would be treated as an armed threat.

Disu said the directive is backed by Force Order 237, the Nigeria Police Force's operational guideline governing the use of force and firearms. 

READ NEXT: You Can Record Police Officers on Duty; It Is Your Constitutional Right — Federal High Court

He explained that the order empowers police officers to use firearms when confronted with an immediate armed threat, without having to seek prior approval from superior officers in the field.

The police chief said the decision was driven by the increasing number of security personnel who have lost their lives while responding to criminal attacks. 

According to him, the Nigeria Police Force can no longer continue what he described as passive policing while armed criminals operate freely with illegal weapons.

READ NEXT: 'I will kill everybody who records me' — outrage as Police officer issues threat in viral video

He said the directive marks a tougher operational approach aimed at confronting bandits, armed militias and other individuals unlawfully carrying firearms.

Disu also emphasised that security agencies cannot win the fight against crime without the support of the public. 

He urged Nigerians, community leaders and traditional rulers to provide timely and credible intelligence on illegal arms caches, criminal hideouts and suspicious activities that could help security agencies prevent attacks and arrest those responsible.

READ NEXT: Nigerian police officers are now barred from TikTok, Facebook, others — here's why

The announcement comes as Nigeria continues to face security challenges in several states, including recurring attacks by armed groups and bandits. 

By directing officers to take immediate action against illegal firearm bearers, the police leadership says it intends to strengthen law enforcement efforts, deter the unlawful possession of weapons and improve public safety across the country.