ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigeria Police Force has stated that Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu did not order officers to shoot anyone found with illegal firearms.

Force Public Relations Officer CSP Ani Iniedu issued a statement on Saturday rejecting the reports as false and a misrepresentation of the IGP’s comments.

The Force said the claims arose from remarks made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Benue State. According to the statement, Disu did not issue any “shoot-on-sight” directive at the meeting.

“The Nigeria Police Force has noticed a misleading report claiming that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, ordered police officers to ‘shoot anyone with illegal firearms.’ This claim is false and does not reflect what the Inspector-General said,” the statement read.

Disu reminded officers that only security personnel who are legally authorised may carry firearms. He also spoke about the problem of illegal weapons often used in crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and cult violence.

He further stated that the use of firearms is guided by Force Order 237, which sets out when an officer may lawfully use a firearm while on duty. The police said he stressed that officers must act within the law and follow approved rules for the use of force.

“At no time did he instruct officers to shoot anyone simply because they were found with an illegal firearm,” the statement added.

The Force said it remains committed to protecting lives and rights while carrying out its duties professionally and within the law. It advised the public and media organisations to verify information on security matters before sharing it.

The police encouraged people to watch the full video of the Inspector-General’s remarks for complete context.