Reactions have trailed an appeal made by the acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun on Tuesday, 22 August.
Ẹgbẹ́tokun appealed to Nigerians to desist from taking complaints against Police Officers to social media.
The Police chief made the appeal while speaking at a stakeholders meeting at the headquarters of the Police command in Ibadan, Oyo state.
In his words: “If you have any complaint against the police, don’t go to social media. Go to the commissioners of police in the state. 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).”
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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.
“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 said.
Nigerians have reacted to the appeal with some saying the only way to get the NPF’s attention is through social media.
Ikechukwu Okike said: “So that you kill the person secretly.”
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Another netizen reacted, stating: “We will first go to the media before reporting so you truly will not waste us like your men always say they will do and nothing will happen. Your force has a very battered image.”
Another user said: “I’m afraid we don’t believe in commisioners again. They have failed woefully.”
One user who commented on the post wrote: “Oga IG, na only social media fit get una attention…..our mumu don do!”
Mega, on his part, advised Nigerians not to heed to Egbetokun’s appeal. He said: “No even try enter their station to report, they will arrest you join… He wants to tell us that he have not been seeing or hearing what is happening in Umuahia, Abia state.
“Those idiot using hummer bus to arrest Innocent youths that did nothing and you will be tagged a cultist in the process once you refuse to open pay. Bailout is from 50k, their cell at olokoro is filled up with innocent people that did not do anything.”
LadyVee also commented: “In other words, we them in the NPF? Allow us breef abeg.”