By Monday Ijeh
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Kayode Egbetokun has urged Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) in the country to take firm hold of the social media space.
Egbetokun made the call on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the 2025 annual PPROs conference with the theme, “Empowering Communication, Enhancing Trust”.
He said the PPROs were strategic advisors to commands on communication, managers of stakeholders’ relationships, coordinators of crisis communication, and defenders of the institutional reputation of the force.
The I-G said the work of the PPROs had direct influence on how the operations of the force were perceived and whether its efforts translated into public confidence.
According to him, in an age where silence is interpreted, hesitation is judged, and narrative vacuums are exploited, you must act.
“You are prepared not only to speak, but to speak with purpose. Not only to clarify, but to engage. Not only to respond, but to lead. A simple, unguarded statement can erode months of operational success.
“A simple, well-captured, timely structured and empathetic message can calm tensions, avert crises and earn public trust.
“I must particularly challenge you to take a firm and strategic hold of the social media space. It must not be a battlefield where the force is constantly on the defensive.
“It must become a tool in your hands,” he said.
Egbetokun said the responsibilities of the PPROs as spokespersons of the Nigeria Police Force must go far beyond issuing press releases.
The I-G also urged the PPROs to be instruments of truth, reputation protection, public enlightenment and confidence building.
He said there was a growing trend of misinformation circulating across digital platforms where old videos were sorted as recent events, edited images, used to create new content and narratives presented as truth.
According to him, no public institution in Nigeria has suffered more reputational damage from misinformation than the Nigeria Police Force.
“The responsibility lies with you, the public relations officers across commands and commissions, to respond suitably, accurately, and responsibly at the point where such misinformation emerges.
“You are the first line of defense when it comes to information and your vigilance, clarity, and professionalism are critical to ensuring that misinformation does not become a separate reality,” he said.
In his remark, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, commended the I-G for approving the conference.
Hundeyin said successive editions of the conference had made the PPROs better equipped, more united and more determined to bridge the gap between the police and the public.
He said the theme of the conference was not just timely, but imperative in an era where misinformation spreads faster than truth and public perception could make or mark institutional credibility.(NAN)