Presidency Speaks On Shoot-on-sight Order Against Igbo

The Presidency has denied the rumour of a shoot-on-sight order given by President Muhammadu Buhari against the people of the South East.

In an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said he was not aware of any shoot-on-sight order against Igbo.

He, however, noted that the rumour is meant to provoke unnecessary public anger and cause disunity in the country.

Speaking on calls for state policing, Shehu said the president was initially concerned that governors who are unable to pay salaries to their workers want to give guns to police set up by them.

He noted that if it is what Nigerians want, the president would have no option but to support it.

Shehu added that implementing state policing will require amending the 1999 Constitution, and Buhari has never rejected constitution amendments.

“You hire a policeman. Give him a gun and for one year, you don’t pay salaries, like you are doing to your teachers, that’s a problem,” he stated.

On restructuring, Shehu stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not against devolution of power, as that is the work of the legislature to do.

He also dismissed speculations that Buhari was interested in extending his tenure, saying that those raising doubts over whether or not elections will hold in 2023 are doing so because they are unelectable.