The Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, NPM, Ph.D., in a concerted effort to bolster service delivery quality and extend the accessibility of the Complaint Response Unit (CRU), has embarked on a collaborative initiative with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This initiative aims to establish CRU offices in Enugu, Kano, Rivers States, and expand the Lagos CRU office, thereby making justice and accountability more accessible to the public.
According to Force Public Relations Officer Force Headquarters Abuja ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Complaints Response Unit (CRU) has played a pivotal role in addressing public grievances, including issues related to police misconduct and human rights violations in Nigeria. With generous support and collaboration from the United Nations, this strategic partnership represents a significant step towards decentralizing and broadening CRU’s national presence in alignment with the provisions of Section 131 of the Police Act 2020.
This expansion of CRU is a critical component of the IGP’s dedication to fostering a more transparent, accountable, and responsive policing system. It also aligns with international best practices and aims to substantially reduce the barriers faced by citizens when reporting issues, while expediting the resolution process.
As part of this project, an outreach program has been devised with the primary objective of formulating effective strategies and approaches to extend CRU services to underprivileged rural communities and individuals with limited access. To achieve this, interactive Town Hall meetings are scheduled in each of the four states, bringing together 20 relevant stakeholders from each state as identified by their respective commands. These sessions will serve as a platform for open dialogue and collaboration with the goal of improving community-police relations and service quality. The Town Hall meetings are planned as follows: Kano State on October 23, Lagos on October 25, Rivers on October 31, and Enugu State on November 8, 2023.
The Inspector General of Police reaffirms his unwavering commitment to nurturing positive community relations and ensuring the delivery of top-notch policing services to the public. He places a strong emphasis on addressing issues related to professional misconduct and other infractions. He calls upon the residents of the concerned states to collaborate with the Nigeria Police to establish an efficient Complaint Response process in these states to enhance policing, with the assurance that CRU will foster trust, transparency, and accountability within the police force. This, in turn, will bolster the government’s ability to address human rights violations.
