The Nigerian Police Force, led by Acting Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, is partnering with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to open Complaint Response Unit (CRU) offices in Enugu, Kano, and Rivers states, and to expand the CRU office in Lagos. This initiative is aimed at making justice and accountability more accessible to the public.
The Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, announced this in a statement on Monday, emphasizing that, with the valuable assistance and cooperation of the United Nations, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is making a substantial move towards decentralizing and broadening the presence of the CRU (Complaint Response Unit) throughout the nation.
He emphasized that this initiative aligns with the guidelines outlined in Section 131 of the Police Act 2020.
He said, “This expansion is a vital part of the IGP’s commitment to fostering a more transparent, accountable, and responsive policing system, and aligning with international best practices by significantly reducing the barriers faced by citizens when reporting issues, and will also expedite the resolution process.”
“Consequently, the project would involve an outreach program whose primary objective is to develop effective strategies and modalities that will facilitate the expansion of CRU services to under-served rural communities and individuals with limited access.”
“To achieve this, interactive Town Hall meetings in each of the four states which will bring together 20 relevant stakeholders from these states, as identified by the respective commands have been scheduled.”
“These sessions will provide a platform for open discussions and collaborations aimed at improving community-police relations and service quality.”
“The town hall meetings will be held in Kano State on October 23rd; Lagos on October 25th; Rivers on October 31st; and in Enugu State on November 8th, 2023,” the Force PRO stated.
“The Complaints Response Unit has been instrumental in addressing public grievances and concerns related to police misconduct, human rights violations, and other issues in Nigeria.”