The Nigeria Police Force has refuted widespread reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu issued a “shoot-on-sight” order during a speech in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Friday.
The clarification was contained in a statement on Saturday.
“What he actually said was that officers have been briefed on Force Order 237, which governs the legal and operational conditions for firearm use, and that they know when it is appropriate to deploy their weapons in line with established Rules of Engagement”, the statement reads.
The terse statement is published below…
CLARIFICATION: WHAT THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE ACTUALLY SAID IN MAKURDI
At a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Benue State, Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, did not issue any “shoot-on-sight” order as widely misreported.
What he actually said was that officers have been briefed on Force Order 237, which governs the legal and operational conditions for firearm use, and that they know when it is appropriate to deploy their weapons in line with established Rules of Engagement.
He further stressed that illegal arms possession and killings would not be tolerated. The public is encouraged to view the attached video of the Inspector-General’s actual remarks for the full context.