Oshiomhole throws weight behind shooting armed criminals on sight
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has criticised Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu over what he described as an apologetic stance on the use of firearms against criminals, insisting that armed offenders should be shot without hesitation.
The senator representing Edo North made the remarks on Monday during an interview on TVC News.
“That’s why when this IG was saying he didn’t say ‘shoot at sight,’ Why is he apologetic? Shoot at sight. If you see a criminal, shoot on sight,” Oshiomhole said.
His comments came after the Nigeria Police Force clarified that the IGP had not issued a “shoot-on-sight” directive. According to the police, Disu was referring to Force Order 237, which outlines the legal and operational conditions under which officers may use firearms.
The Force explained that officers had been briefed on the provisions of the order and were expected to deploy firearms only in circumstances permitted by established Rules of Engagement.
Oshiomhole also praised the Department of State Services for challenging a court judgment that sentenced certain convicted offenders to life imprisonment instead of death.
“I have said that judges should implement the law, not their personal sentiment. I’m also happy that the DSS is doing its job.
“They have appealed the judgment where people who should have been condemned to death were given life imprisonment,” he said.
Speaking on President Bola Tinubu’s prospects ahead of the 2027 election, the former Edo State governor identified insecurity as the administration’s greatest political challenge.
He urged the President to give service chiefs a clear deadline for ending insecurity across the country.
“I would tell him to do everything he can to direct the armed forces to ensure that the service chiefs understand that they have a duty to terminate insecurity within the next few months,” he said.
Oshiomhole argued that military performance must be measured against the resources provided and said the President should hold security chiefs strictly accountable.
“There has to be a benchmark to measure what we give them and the results that we get, and whether it’s commensurate. It is better he beats down their necks than anything else,” he said.
He maintained that Tinubu had already put in place the key macroeconomic measures needed for economic recovery, but said insecurity remained the major obstacle to progress.
“See, the president has put all the necessary macroeconomic tools in place. The only limiting factor is this insecurity. And unfortunately, again, it’s an issue that has reached a certain stage that you cannot terminate overnight. But Nigerians want to see consistent, deliberate effort,” he said.
The senator pointed to the ongoing recruitment of 20,000 additional personnel into the armed forces and the creation of new army divisions as evidence of the administration’s determination to reform the country’s security structure.
He said, “So I think on all fronts, the war is being waged. The DSS is working. We are beginning to see the Air Force more engaged. The Army—we have created more divisions which reflects the fact that the president believes that we can’t continue to do the same thing the same old way.”
Oshiomhole also rejected claims that Tinubu has not been sufficiently visible in office, saying the President has remained active in governance and public engagements.
