The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has solicited for collaboration between the police and the media to enhance national security.
Disu made the call on Saturday in Abuja during an interactive session with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council.
He described journalists as professionals who play a critical role in supporting the work of the police.
“I have worked with journalists, and I say it with all my heart that you are professionals,” he said.
The IGP said security agencies cannot address the country’s security challenges alone.
He urged the citizens, including journalists, to support efforts intended to safeguard the nation.
“The nation is in a particular security situation now, and we need everybody to come together to salvage the nation.
“We don’t have another country. If you see something, please say something. The life you save might be your own,” Disu said.
He advised police officers to treat members of the public with respect, noting that their conduct should allow them to be welcomed in communities where they have served previously.
“As a policeman, can you go back to where you have worked before and be welcomed? That is a lesson for all policemen and for everyone,” he said.
The IGP said while Anthony Placid, the force spokesperson, is responsible for speaking on behalf of the police, journalists can still reach him directly as his communication lines remain open.
In her remarks, Grace Ike, chairperson of the NUJ FCT council, said journalists would support the police by responsibly reporting issues related to insecurity.
“We are glad that the inspector-general of police is here to visit journalists. It shows he is a friend of the media.
“We will do everything humanly possible to use our pen to support efforts to make insecurity a thing of the past,” she said.
Ike invited the IGP to attend the NUJ FCT press week scheduled to hold in May in Abuja.
