The chairman of the Police Service Commission and former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has announced plans by the commission to set up a Complaint Response Unit parallel to the existing Police Complaint Response Unit under the command of the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters.
Arase made this known on Thursday during separate meetings with officials of a Civil Society Organisation, CLEEN Foundation, and the national leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, in Abuja.
A statement by the spokesperson for the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, quoted Arase as saying, “A police force that does not connect with the public or respect human rights will find it difficult to succeed. We would do everything possible to improve on the services of the police.
“Indiscipline will no longer be tolerated in the police force; we are setting up a parallel Complaint Response Unit at the commission to police the police.”
The statement, “The executive director, CLEEN Foundation, Gad Peter, said civil society groups were excited with the appointment of Dr Arase to head the PSC and noted that they would support his mandate and his vision. Mr Peter mentioned the issue of police brutality and impunity and called on the PSC chairman to put an end to it.
“Speaking when he received the leadership of the NUJ, led by its national president, Ikeddy Isiguzo, the PSC chairman observed that the nation was going through a transformation in all sectors with worldwide security challenges which he said had imposed an additional burden on the nation to cope with rising criminality and divisive forces.
“These, he noted, required the synergy of all stakeholders to enable the nation navigate through these trying times effectively. ‘I count on your support,’ he told his guests.”
Ani further noted that the national president of the NUJ, Isiguzo, in his remarks requested a forum for journalists and the police to interact and understand one another better as both parties work in the interest of national development.