The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced plans to improve the effectiveness of its Complaint Response Unit (CRU) as part of efforts to promote accountability, transparency and better engagement with citizens.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Edem, disclosed this during a visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, as part of his familiarisation tour aimed at strengthening cooperation between the police and the media.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Grace Ike, Edem said the engagement was designed to create greater awareness of ongoing reforms within the police force through improved media collaboration.
He explained that the CRU serves as the police’s major internal accountability platform, operating 24 hours a day to receive and address complaints involving misconduct, extortion, harassment and violations of citizens’ rights.
The police spokesperson noted that recent improvements to the unit were introduced to enhance faster responses, better monitoring of complaints and clearer communication on the outcomes of investigations.
Edem attributed the reforms to the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police towards strengthening institutional standards within the force.
He also revealed plans to organise a media engagement with journalists in Zone 7, urging media practitioners to participate actively in order to promote accurate reporting of police activities and reform efforts.
“Journalists are part of the police family. Informed reporting helps the public hold institutions accountable while fostering constructive change,” he said.
In her response, NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Grace Ike, applauded the improvements to the CRU and expressed the council’s willingness to work with the police to ensure better communication with the public.
She praised Edem’s open-door policy and assured that journalists in Abuja would continue to highlight citizens’ concerns while following up on developments surrounding the complaint unit.
Ike added that an efficient CRU would enable the media to effectively perform its watchdog role by informing the public about how complaints are submitted, investigated and resolved.
She said increased awareness of the process would help strengthen trust between citizens and the police while encouraging accountability among public institutions.
(NAN)