Trust and dialogue between the Nigeria Police Force and the communities they serve have been reaffirmed as the cornerstone for strengthening transparency, accountability, and collaboration in effective policing across the country.
These submissions were made at the Learning Exchange Workshop on the Mutual Accountability and Community Scorecard (MACS) Initiative, organised by International Alert Nigeria in partnership with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
In his welcome address, Mr Kingsley Udo, Country Director of International Alert Nigeria, described the gathering as “a new phase in Nigeria’s policing reform journey designed to deepen community trust, transparency, and reform communication within the nation’s policing architecture.
“Across Nigeria, citizens continue to call for a policing system that is transparent, accountable, and responsive to community needs. The Nigeria Police Force has, in recent years, taken bold steps towards reform and improved professionalism — but sustaining these reforms requires deliberate collaboration, communication, and accountability between the police and the communities they serve,” Udo said.
He noted that the MACS Initiative had produced tangible results in strengthening police-community relations and accountability, adding that the second phase of the project supported Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) across seven states — Abia, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Edo — as well as the Federal Capital Territory, to apply the framework in their operations.
“The outcomes have been impressive: stronger dialogue between police and citizens, increased trust, and practical solutions to improve accountability and service delivery. Through the MACS Initiative, we have seen stronger dialogue, increased trust, and practical solutions to improve service delivery,” he said.
According to him, the next phase of the initiative will focus on deepening inclusivity at community levels. “We are looking at trickling down to the neighbourhood — where vigilantes, children, women, and men can sit together and talk,” he said, “Trust is key. Without trust, there will be fear; and where there is fear, there can be no love. We want to dispel fear and pull everyone together. We don’t want conflicts to recede into violence. We want the police to be not just our friends, but our brothers and sisters next door.”
Policing For Safer Communities
In a goodwill message, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, described the workshop as “another important step forward in strengthening police-community relations for effective, accountable, and people-centred policing in Nigeria.”
Represented by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Victor Isuku, Hundeyin said the initiative demonstrates the Police Force’s commitment to reform through partnership, learning, and dialogue.
“The Nigeria Police Force cannot do it alone; that is why this partnership is more than timely — it is necessary. When the police and the people work together, when there is honesty, trust, and openness, our communities become safer and more peaceful,” he said.
He commended International Alert and the FCDO for their continued partnership with the Police, adding that the Force has taken deliberate steps to bridge the gap with citizens through the Police Act 2020, which addresses long-standing concerns.
“…Issues of stereotyping, bail, arrest, and search of persons and premises — all these are captured in the current Police Act. I urge the youth to take time to go through this Act, so that when they are informed, they will know what to do whenever their rights are being violated,” he stressed.
Hundeyin further revealed that Complaint Response Units (CRUs) have now been established across all police commands to make redress and accountability more accessible. “You don’t need to come to the Force Headquarters,” he said. “Across all commands, there are CRUs, and the contact details of all PROs are published online for easy access.”
He described the MACS Initiative as “a product of mutual trust that promotes collaboration, not confrontation,” stressing that true security is built through cooperation between law enforcement and citizens.
“As Police Public Relations Officers, we stand at the frontline of this relationship. It is our duty to bridge understanding, to communicate with empathy, and to show through our actions that the Nigeria Police Force is truly here to serve and protect with integrity,” he affirmed.
READ ALSO: Police Chief Urges New Officers to Serve with Integrity
Transforming Fear into Trust
Sharing the impact report, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, Police Public Relations Officer, Abia State Command, described the initiative as “a journey of learning, unlearning, and relearning” for both the police and citizens, fostering empathy and shared responsibility.
“It’s been a journey of understanding ourselves in a noisy world where everybody is speaking and nobody is taking time to listen,…We learned that instead of pointing fingers, we can hold each other’s hands and walk the path of peace, unity, accountability, and friendship,” she said.
She explained that in Abia State, the MACS framework had already yielded measurable impact, with more citizens now volunteering information and collaborating with the police without fear.
“We have people boldly coming to the police to say, ‘this is my experience,’ because they now trust that the police can act with integrity. Instead of throwing stones, communities are learning to build doors of unity and accountability,” she noted.
Chinaka said the initiative had helped bridge stereotypes and fostered mutual respect. “In one of our community engagements in Abia, we saw community members hugging and shaking hands with police officers — that was the height of collaboration and love. That is what this initiative is about — transforming fear into trust and confrontation into collaboration,” she recounted.
She urged her colleagues to remain “open-minded, willing to learn, unlearn and relearn,” and to embrace accountability as a shared journey toward peace and inclusivity in line with the Inspector General of Police’s vision of building “a service-driven, law-abiding, and people-friendly police force.”
Shared Responsibility
Declaring the workshop open, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, described hosting the event as “timely and significant,” given the state’s prioritisation of peace and internal security under Governor Umo Eno’s administration.
“This event came to the state at the appropriate time, particularly when His Excellency the Governor is working seriously to ensure that Akwa Ibom maintains its pride of place as the most peaceful state in Nigeria,” he said.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Akparawa James Edet, Umanah commended the Police for its collaboration with development partners, noting that “security occupies a central place in the administration’s development priorities.”
“It is on record that for the first time, His Excellency created a special Ministry for Security and Waterways. The ministry is partnering with all security agencies to ensure we continue to enjoy the peace we are known for,” he said.
He lauded the synergy between the Police, security agencies, and the state government, commending the Ministry of Information’s role in sustaining civic vigilance through media engagement. “Security is not just the business of the police alone. It is the business of everyone, including journalists and the community,” he said.
“The government holds regular security council meetings, supports intelligence sharing, and provides necessary logistics to keep our state safe. We must continue to join hands with the government and security agencies to sustain peace in our state and in Nigeria,” he added.
The two-day Learning Exchange Workshop, themed “Strengthening Police-Community Relations for Effective and Accountable Policing in Nigeria,” brought together Police Public Relations Officers from across the country, traditional rulers, civil society groups, and youth leaders.
It featured the presentation of awards to outstanding Police Public Relations Officers from MAC-implementing states.
The convergence reaffirms a collective vision for accountable policing rooted in dialogue, partnership, and shared responsibility, aligning with Nigeria’s ongoing police reform agenda and the Renewed Hope vision for safer, stronger communities.