Egbetokun to Nigerians: Stop taking complaints against police to social media

Kayode Egbetokun, acting inspector-general of police (IGP), has urged Nigerians to stop taking complaints against police officers to social media.

Egbetokun spoke on Tuesday during stakeholders meeting at the headquarters of the police command in Ibadan, Oyo state.

The meeting was attended by representatives of traditional and religious leaders; the leadership of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), leaders of the police community relations committee (PCRC), and Igbo and Hausa communities, among others in the state.

Egbetokun said Nigerians should feel free to report their complaints against the operatives to the commissioners of police or any other senior officer that would ensure justice is done.

“If you have any complaint against the police, don’t go to social media. Go to the commissioners of police in the state,” he said.

“Some of our men will misbehave, we cannot guarantee that all of them will behave well. Report to the CPs or any superior officer who will take it up and ensure justice is done.

“There are a lot of falsehoods going on on social media. If you need clarification, go to the commissioners of police or police public relations officers (PPROs).”

Egbetokun said his mission is to put in place professional, service-driven, rule-of-law-compliant, and people-friendly police officers.

He said he is desirous of having a police force that would be able to respond adequately to the dynamics of crime and criminality in society and “ensure citizens sleep with their two eyes closed”.

“Modern policing is community-based, technology-driven, and intelligence-led. We are going to focus on community in all the states of the federation. But we are shifting to new policing strategies,” the acting IGP added.

“We are going to adopt community policing by taking cognisance of certain peculiarities of each community through collaboration with other security agencies and state-owned security outfits to fight and reduce crime.”

He called for the cooperation and support of all stakeholders to achieve results and rid society of crime.

In his remarks, Ibrahim Olaniyan, national chairman of PCRC, said the committee is ready to key into the community policing strategy of the police chief.

Also speaking, Niyi Ajewole, chairman of CCII, said Oyo state and Nigeria have started witnessing good results since Egbetokun took over as the acting IGP.

Ajewole requested more police mobile units in the state, saying the current two units were not sufficient based on the vastness of the state’s territory.