Mark Aba, Abuja
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, has called for stronger collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), describing the media as an indispensable partner in promoting national security and public confidence in policing.
Iniedu made the call during a courtesy visit to the NUJ National Secretariat at the weekend, where he stressed the need for a deeper working relationship between the police and journalists, particularly ahead of the forthcoming Yuletide celebrations and election season.
He described the police and the media as partners in nation-building, insisting that effective policing cannot be achieved without the support and cooperation of journalists.
“The Nigeria Police Force cannot work without the NUJ. It is not possible. You are our partners in nation-building and national security. I am here to push for increased collaboration and partnership. You are the experts,” he said.
The Force PRO, who said his office functions almost like that of a Senior Special Adviser to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on strategic communication, appreciated the NUJ for its longstanding partnership with the police.
Recalling his earlier working relationship with the union during his service in Yobe State, Iniedu said the police needed the expertise of journalists to communicate its activities and achievements effectively to the public.
He noted that one of the challenges identified by the current police administration was the gap between the operational achievements of the Force and public awareness of those achievements.
“The IGP has directed that the police must improve its communication strategy and ensure that its activities are adequately reported.
“Four months into his tenure, the Nigeria Police Television had commenced operations, initially through digital platforms, with plans to expand to terrestrial broadcasting and local channels,” he said, inviting the NUJ to visit the television facility and contribute ideas towards strengthening the initiative.
He also revealed that the IGP had ordered a comprehensive upgrade of the Nigeria Police Radio following an assessment of its facilities, adding that work on the project had already commenced.
The Force PRO further solicited the NUJ’s support in providing professional training for him and other officers in the Public Relations Department, noting that the union’s experience in journalism and strategic communication would help improve police-media relations.
He also disclosed that the IGP had directed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) to deploy personnel across forests and identified security flashpoints nationwide.
Iniedu, however, warned that the police would face significant security demands in the coming months as preparations for the Yuletide celebrations would run directly into the election period.
“We have never had something like this before, where you have the Yuletide and then you are jumping into the election. Having them back-to-back is not going to be small work for us. We must work harder and work with relevant stakeholders to fight disinformation and ensure our men are in line,” he said.
He emphasised that the police could no longer afford to operate in isolation, stressing that effective security management required cooperation with the media and other stakeholders.
“We are no longer in that aspect where we want to do it alone. We want to work with you. I listen and I take advice because one brain can’t do it all. If we collaborate properly, we will have the right results,” he added.
Responding, NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya, welcomed the initiative, assuring the Force PRO that the union remained open to dialogue and sustained collaboration with the police.
Yahya thanked Iniedu for the visit, describing it as an opportunity for constructive engagement on ways to promote national development and strengthen the country’s security architecture.
He said he had followed Iniedu’s activities since his appointment and expressed optimism that the current police leadership, under the IGP, was committed to introducing innovations that would improve policing in Nigeria.
The NUJ president, however, stressed that effective collaboration must also address persistent complaints of harassment and intimidation of journalists by some overzealous police officers, as well as cases of professional misconduct by some journalists.
He said the union was willing to engage the police constructively to resolve such challenges rather than resorting to public confrontations.
“I don’t like issuing statements against the police. If you issue a statement against the police, it’s like you are denting the image of your country before the whole world. But we cannot ignore the issues. NUJ is open for dialogue and open for collaboration. Together we can change the narrative,” he said.
Yahya disclosed that the union had developed two initiatives to strengthen relations between journalists and the police.
The first is a framework aimed at reducing harassment and intimidation of journalists, while the second is a proposed national dialogue involving the 37 police public relations officers, including the FCT, and NUJ leaders from across the country.
He said the union would also deploy its structures across the six geopolitical zones to facilitate regular engagements between Commissioners of Police, Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and journalists in their respective states.
The NUJ president commended the police for investing in its media platforms, particularly the Police Radio and the newly launched Police Television, noting that the union had also advocated the establishment of its own radio and television stations to promote public education and information.
On capacity development, Yahya offered the services of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), an institution owned by the NUJ, to provide regular professional training for police public relations officers.
He said stronger police-media relations would contribute significantly to national unity, peace and security.
“Media has a role to play, and the role the media will play is going to go a long way in sustaining and keeping us as one country. If Nigeria is in crisis, no other country will fix it for us. By the time we work together, we will see wonders and changes,” he said.
Yahya assured the Force PRO of the union’s commitment to sustained engagement and monitoring of the partnership, expressing confidence that closer cooperation between the police and the media would help improve public trust and national security.
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