Elochukwu Benjamin
Awka
Rights group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Olatunji Disu, to provide further clarification on his recent remarks regarding the use of firearms, insisting that although he did not issue a “shoot-on-sight” order, his comments could be misinterpreted by police officers.
Media reports making the rounds on social media, have quoted the IGP, while addressing a stakeholders’ meeting in Markudi, Benue State, as ordering police officers across the country to shoot on sight, anyone found carrying illegal firearms as part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity and armed violence.
However, in a subsequent clarification, the Nigeria Police Force through its spokesperson, CSP Ani Iniedu, had denied that the IGP had introduced a shoot-on-sight policy, reaffirming that officers remain bound by Force Order 237, the Constitution, the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and other legal frameworks governing the use of force.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, RULAAC’s Executive Director, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, said a review of the Inspector-General’s full remarks showed that he never expressly instructed officers to shoot anyone found with a firearm, contrary to widespread media reports.
He, however, noted that some of the language used by the police chief was broad enough to create uncertainty, particularly his declaration that “everyone who has picked up a weapon has become a target,” alongside his reference to Force Order 237, which allows officers to deploy firearms without waiting for superior approval in situations permitted by law.
Despite the clarification, Nwanguma argued that the police leadership must communicate operational directives with greater precision, especially in a country with a history of unlawful killings and excessive use of force by security personnel.
He stressed that neither the Constitution nor the Nigeria Police Act authorises officers to use lethal force merely because a person is found carrying a firearm, whether legally or illegally.
“Force Order 237, the Nigeria Police Act and international standards, including the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, permit the use of deadly force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life against an imminent threat of death or serious injury, and where less harmful measures are insufficient.
“Possession of an illegal firearm is a criminal offence that ordinarily warrants arrest, investigation and prosecution, not summary execution,” he said.
Nwanguma warned that ambiguous public statements by senior police officials could inadvertently encourage excessive use of force or reinforce a culture of impunity among officers.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s serious security challenges, including attacks by armed criminal groups, kidnappings and killings, he maintained that effective policing must remain rooted in the rule of law and respect for human rights.
He argued that public safety and human rights are complementary rather than competing objectives, adding that law enforcement agencies can effectively combat violent crime without abandoning constitutional safeguards.
RULAAC urged the Inspector-General to publicly affirm that there is no shoot-on-sight policy within the Nigeria Police Force and reiterate that officers remain bound by Force Order 237, the Nigeria Police Act, the Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
The organisation also called on the police to emphasise that possession of a firearm alone does not automatically justify the use of lethal force, insisting that deadly force should only be used where it is strictly necessary to protect life against an imminent threat and where no less harmful alternatives exist.
It further advocated independent investigations into every police shooting resulting in death or serious injury, with officers found to have used unlawful or excessive force held accountable.
RULAAC also urged the Nigeria Police Force to strengthen nationwide training on the lawful use of force, with emphasis on the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution and accountability.
