…Commissions Rivers Command’s CRU.
By: Felix Ikpotor
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has restated his administration’s stance against acts of extortion and corruption amongst officers.
Egbetokun, stated this in Port Harcourt while inaugurating the Complaints Response Unit (CRU) built in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and the United States Department of States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs ( INL) at the Rivers State Police Command.
He noted that the CRU would help to restore the confidence of the public in the police as it would check misconduct amongst officers of the command.
Represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 16 Bayelsa State, AIG Adebola Ayinde Hamzat, the IGP said impunity, extortion and other human right abuses defame the force, adding that the police would continue to train its men to make their job efficient.
“We are echoing it that there is zero-tolerance for extortion, there is zero-tolerance for corruption and we do not take it where people whose monies are used to pay your salaries are the ones to suffer unnecessary tension, unnecessary impunity from police officers.
“We have had causes to go round to give trainning and we’ll continue to improve on what we have on ground to make the police meet the expectation of the public we serve,” he said.
Urging members of the public to take advantage of the CRU to report cases of misconduct, human right abuses, extortion and other firms if corruption by officers, the IGP assured them of their confidentiality saying, “The CRU also give protection to the complainant because people fear to give information to the police that if you go and report him after they have committed an offense that they will come back for you.”
While calling for partnership with all stakeholders for effective policing of the country, IGP Egbetokun commended the donors of the CRU for their support to the police.
“I acknowledge the efforts of all the international donors who made this a reality. We also thank you for giving effective partnership to the police.
“This is an era of community policing. The Nigerian Police Force cannot do it alone but with sister agencies, and not just that, policing is not all government affairs, that’s why we collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure a safe society,” he said.
Also speaking, the Country Representative of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, Cheikh Toure represented by Muchanetta Mundapahi, a Senior Programmes Management Specialist in the Office, said the official commissioning of the CRU represents a crucial step forward in their collective efforts to enhance transparency, accountability and integrity within the Nigerian Police Force.
She said the CRU would help members of the public to seek redress and also hold the police accountable.
She further commended the directive of the IGP to establish the CRU across the 36 states commands and the FCT, adding that the directive highlights the commitment of the force to foster accountability and transparency amongst officers.
Earlier, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Mustapha said the inauguration of the CRU marks a new era where the police would reaffirm her commitment to deal thoroughly with unprofessional conduct including extortion, harassment, prolonged detention of suspects, police brutality, gratification and extortion amongst officers.
While further appreciating the donor agencies, he maintained that he would work to ensure justice for all in the Command.
“As we move forward, let us continue to work together, I’m for justice and we want to assure you that we are going to serve justice. Everything we do under my watch as the commissioner of police, I will ensure that justice is not only done but to be seen as done in the eyes of the common man,” CP Mustapha said.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has restated his administration’s stance against acts of extortion and corruption amongst officers.
Egbetokun, stated this in Port Harcourt while inaugurating the Complaints Response Unit (CRU) built in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and the United States Department of States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs ( INL) at the Rivers State Police Command.
He noted that the CRU would help to restore the confidence of the public in the police as it would check misconduct amongst officers of the command.
Represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 16 Bayelsa State, AIG Adebola Ayinde Hamzat, the IGP said impunity, extortion and other human right abuses defame the force, adding that the police would continue to train its men to make their job efficient.
“We are echoing it that there is zero-tolerance for extortion, there is zero-tolerance for corruption and we do not take it where people whose monies are used to pay your salaries are the ones to suffer unnecessary tension, unnecessary impunity from police officers.
“We have had causes to go round to give trainning and we’ll continue to improve on what we have on ground to make the police meet the expectation of the public we serve,” he said.
Urging members of the public to take advantage of the CRU to report cases of misconduct, human right abuses, extortion and other firms if corruption by officers, the IGP assured them of their confidentiality saying, “The CRU also give protection to the complainant because people fear to give information to the police that if you go and report him after they have committed an offense that they will come back for you.”
While calling for partnership with all stakeholders for effective policing of the country, IGP Egbetokun commended the donors of the CRU for their support to the police.
“I acknowledge the efforts of all the international donors who made this a reality. We also thank you for giving effective partnership to the police.
“This is an era of community policing. The Nigerian Police Force cannot do it alone but with sister agencies, and not just that, policing is not all government affairs, that’s why we collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure a safe society,” he said.
Also speaking, the Country Representative of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, Cheikh Toure represented by Muchanetta Mundapahi, a Senior Programmes Management Specialist in the Office, said the official commissioning of the CRU represents a crucial step forward in their collective efforts to enhance transparency, accountability and integrity within the Nigerian Police Force.
She said the CRU would help members of the public to seek redress and also hold the police accountable.
She further commended the directive of the IGP to establish the CRU across the 36 states commands and the FCT, adding that the directive highlights the commitment of the force to foster accountability and transparency amongst officers.
Earlier, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Mustapha said the inauguration of the CRU marks a new era where the police would reaffirm her commitment to deal thoroughly with unprofessional conduct including extortion, harassment, prolonged detention of suspects, police brutality, gratification and extortion amongst officers.
While further appreciating the donor agencies, he maintained that he would work to ensure justice for all in the Command.
“As we move forward, let us continue to work together, I’m for justice and we want to assure you that we are going to serve justice. Everything we do under my watch as the commissioner of police, I will ensure that justice is not only done but to be seen as done in the eyes of the common man,” CP Mustapha said.
