The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed reports claiming that the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, issued a “shoot-on-sight” directive during a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Benue State.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Force said the IGP’s comments had been misrepresented, explaining that he merely reiterated the provisions of Force Order 237, which outlines the legal and operational conditions governing the use of firearms by police personnel.

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

The Force stressed that the Inspector-General’s remarks were intended to reinforce professionalism and strict compliance with existing operational guidelines, rather than authorise the indiscriminate use of force.

It added that the IGP emphasised that illegal possession of firearms and acts of violence, including unlawful killings, would not be tolerated.

The police urged the public and media organisations to disregard reports suggesting that the Inspector-General ordered officers to shoot suspects on sight, describing the claims as inaccurate and taken out of context.

The Force also encouraged Nigerians to watch the full video of the IGP’s remarks to better understand the context of his comments and help prevent the spread of misinformation.