In order to salvage its already soiled image, the Nigeria Police Force has launched a scheme to enable the public help in the process.
Widely seen as corrupt and inefficient, the Nigerian Police Force, has launched a scheme to improve its negative image to address public complaints against bad cops.
The Complaints Response Unit (CRU), launched last Friday, is the first in the country’s history and aims to use “cutting edge technology to combat crime and address complaints of citizens”.
According to the national police spokesman Abayomi Sogunle, the “CRU will deal with complaints against police professional misconduct,”
“It will open up a channel of communication between the police and the Nigerian community.”
This means that all disgruntled members of the public can relate their complaints or send them via email, social media platforms Twitter, Facebook or WhatsApp directly to the inspector general of police’s inbox.
“Disciplinary action will be taken against any erring officer after investigation is carried out and the complainant will be given a feedback on the action taken,” Sogunle explained.
Sogunle said the CRU, which will operate 24 hours a day, will ensure that “everybody (in the police) is doing what is expected of him”.
The scheme’s objectives will be translated into local languages for as wide a reach as possible, he added.