By Hassan Zaggi
The Police Public Complaints Committee (PPCC), has disclosed that it offers a platform where Nigerians can submit their complaints against the men and officer of the Nigeria Police Force whenever their rights are violated.
The Chairman of the PPCC, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, made the disclosure during the group’s regular meeting in Abuja.
He noted the PPCC is out to create harmonious relationship and build confidence between the police and the general public.
Mr. Enitan pointed out that the PPCC is crucial and strategic to having free and fair conduct of elections that will be acceptable to Nigerians.
He argued that once the public perceive the police as a friend, partner, dependable and trusted ally, they will be free and more comfortable to participate and exercise their franchise during the elections as the men in uniform will be there to protect them.
The PPCC Chairman noted that fear is palpable in some regions of the country, because of vested interest, incessant destruction of property, and harassment of the citizens, hence, there is the need to calm fray nerves and give them the guarantee that once their rights are violated there is a channel to seek redress and get justice.
In his words, “when there is a channel through which you can make your grievances known and obtain justice, citizens can go out there to do whatever they want to do within the limit of the law. If they were molested by men in uniform, they have the right channel to seek redress. The general public has a platform to lay their complaints whenever there is the need to do so and to be assured, they will get justice at the end of the day, this will diffuse tension in the country”.
He reiterated that the committee is a critical agent of peace that will seek to fight for the downtrodden, less privileged, and vulnerable and harvest complaints that will be put forward for consideration and proper handling in such a way that the aggrieved will be satisfied.
A statement by the Director (Press and Public Relations) Ministry of Police Affairs, Bolaji Kazeem, explained that PPCC is an additional layer for the protection of people’s rights whenever there seems to be an infringement on these rights or abuse of power, particularly by the police personnel in the discharge of their duties.
