Nigerian police force have launched a radio station in an attempt to boost public-police ties.
The station was inaugurated on Wednesday evening by Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu, who said that it would be used to engage, educate, and inform the public about policing and other security issues.
He went on to say that the radio station will broadcast programs aimed at engaging people in the protection of their neighborhoods, especially on how to spot and report crimes, as well as other measures to take in the event of a crime or security emergency.
The announcement follows months of national outrage about police brutality and extrajudicial killings. The country’s youth were especially outraged by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a Nigerian Police unit accused of making illegal arrests, profiling, torturing, and killings.
The unit was later disbanded by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, were among those who attended the launch of the Nigeria Police Radio.
Educator, writer and legal researcher at Alafarika for Studies and Consultancy.