NUJ, Police Move To Deepen Media Collaboration As CRU Gets Fresh Push

The Nigeria Police Force has pledged to strengthen its Complaint Response Unit (CRU) and deepen collaboration with the media as part of efforts to improve accountability, transparency and public confidence in policing.

The commitment was made on Friday when the newly appointed Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Anietie Okokon Edem, paid a familiarisation visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, where he called for stronger partnership between the police and the media in reporting ongoing reforms.

Edem identified the CRU as one of the Nigeria Police Force’s key internal accountability mechanisms, describing it as the Force’s principal digital platform for receiving, tracking and resolving complaints from members of the public.

According to him, the unit operates round the clock and handles complaints bordering on professional misconduct, extortion, harassment and alleged human rights abuses involving police officers across the country.

The FPRO said the Force was working to upgrade the CRU to make its operations more efficient, particularly by reducing response times, improving case tracking and enhancing transparency in the resolution of complaints.

He said the reforms were being driven by the Inspector-General of Police as part of efforts to strengthen accountability within the Force and improve its relationship with citizens.

Edem urged journalists to take a keen interest in the CRU and other reform initiatives of the police, stressing that accurate and informed reporting would help citizens understand how to seek redress when they encounter alleged misconduct by police personnel.

“Journalists are part of the police family,” he said, emphasising the importance of constructive media engagement in strengthening public accountability and supporting institutional reforms.

The Force PRO also disclosed plans to organise a media parley with Zone 7 of the Nigeria Police Force as part of efforts to expand engagement with journalists at the zonal level.

He invited members of the media to participate actively in the planned engagement, saying closer interaction with police authorities would enable journalists to obtain accurate information and provide more balanced and informed reports on policing and reform initiatives.

The NUJ FCT Council, led by its Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, welcomed the proposed strengthening of the CRU and expressed readiness to work with the police to improve public accountability.

Ike commended Edem for his approachability and commitment to engaging with journalists, assuring the Force PRO that the council would continue to provide platforms for citizens’ concerns to receive public attention.

She said journalists had a responsibility to amplify legitimate complaints from members of the public while also monitoring the progress of cases referred through the CRU.

The NUJ FCT chairman further pledged the council’s support for efforts aimed at ensuring that complaints lodged by citizens do not disappear without appropriate follow-up and resolution.

The engagement underscores the growing role of the media as a watchdog in police accountability, with journalists expected to play a critical role in informing citizens about how to lodge complaints, tracking responses and reporting outcomes.

For the NUJ, greater visibility for the CRU could help bridge the gap between citizens and the police by making the complaint process more accessible while ensuring that allegations of misconduct receive the scrutiny required to promote meaningful reform.

The renewed police-media engagement is therefore expected to provide a platform for both institutions to work towards improved public trust, transparency and accountability in policing.