Nigeria Police Force to strengthen Complaint Response Unit, boost media engagement

The Nigeria Police Force has intensified efforts to make internal accountability more responsive and transparent through a strengthened Complaint Response Unit (CRU), the Force’s chief digital platform for receiving, tracking and resolving citizen complaints.

CSP Anietie Okokon Edem, the newly appointed Force Public Relations Officer, spotlighted the CRU during a courtesy visit on Friday to the NUJ FCT Council today, and urged deeper media collaboration to ensure public awareness and better reportage of police reforms.

CSP Edem while describing the visit as part of familiarization visit noted that the CRU is part of the Force’s foremost internal accountability mechanism, operating 24/7 to handle allegations of professional misconduct, extortion, harassment and human-rights abuses by police officers nationwide.

He said upgrades to the unit are designed to shorten response times, improve case tracking and increase transparency in outcomes steps he said are driven by the Inspector‑General’s commitment to reform.

The Force PRO also announced plans for a media parley with Zone 7 to broaden police media engagement at zonal level, inviting journalists to participate so they can report more accurately on ongoing reforms.

“Journalists are part of the police family,” CSP Edem said, stressing that informed reporting will help the public hold institutions to account while supporting constructive reform.

The NUJ FCT leadership, led by Council Chairman Comrade Grace Ike, welcomed the CRU enhancements and reaffirmed the council’s readiness to collaborate.

Ike praised CSP Edem’s approachability and pledged that journalists would amplify citizens’ complaints and highlight CRU developments, ensuring issues raised receive public scrutiny and follow-up.

The strengthened CRU presents an opportunity for Nigeria’s media to play a watchdog role from the frontlines by publicising how complaints are lodged, tracked and resolved, journalists can help close the gap between citizens and institutional accountability and pressure both police and policymakers to deliver tangible reforms.