The Nigeria Police Force has warned Nigerians against paying money to secure bail for themselves or detained relatives, cautioning that anyone who pays or collects money for bail risks arrest and prosecution.
The warning was issued by the Head of the Force Complaint Response Unit (CRU), Awuf Jonah, on Friday during a public sensitisation campaign in Lagos aimed at educating residents on police accountability, misconduct and avenues for seeking redress.
Jonah reiterated that police bail is free and urged members of the public not to surrender money to officers or intermediaries in exchange for the release of arrested persons.
“The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has emphasised several times that nobody is expected to pay anything whenever you or your loved ones are arrested,” he said.
“If you pay money for any bail, the giver and the taker will be arrested and then prosecuted,” he added.
The campaign was organised by the CRU in partnership with the Eagle Crime Awareness and Prevention Initiative (ECAPI) to strengthen public confidence in the police and promote accountability within the force.
Activities began at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja and included roadshows, market outreach, the distribution of educational materials and demonstrations on how to access the CRU’s complaint-reporting platforms.
Jonah described the partnership as an important step towards rebuilding trust between the police and the public. He said the unit investigated complaints against officers and applied appropriate disciplinary measures where allegations were established.
“There are a lot of changes. If you can bear me witness, you will now observe that a lot of police officers, those few ones that are actually the bad eggs in our midst, have reduced to a large extent from some of those things they are doing,” he said.
He added that complaints received by the unit were investigated and officers found culpable were subjected to appropriate punishment.
According to him, the initiative has also encouraged more Nigerians to visit CRU offices, contact the unit through its communication channels and submit petitions against officers accused of misconduct.
Residents can report complaints by calling 08057000101 or 08057000102. Complaints can also be sent through WhatsApp on 08057000103.
Speaking at the campaign’s launch, Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid, who represented the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, said the initiative would strengthen cooperation between law enforcement agencies and communities.
“The leadership of the Police Complaint Response Unit and Eagles Crime Awareness and Prevention Initiatives should be commended for today’s advocacy event,” Placid said.
He stressed that cooperation, intelligence sharing and efforts to reduce tensions in communities were essential to improving public safety.
Also speaking, ECAPI coordinator Eniola Adam said the campaign was designed to raise awareness about police brutality, extortion and citizens’ rights, particularly the principle that police bail should not attract payment.
“We are here today to educate the public on police brutality, extortion and the fact that bail is free,” Adam said.
He warned that officers who violated the Inspector-General of Police’s directives would be held accountable.
Adam added that the campaign would extend to communities and marketplaces across Lagos to ensure that residents at the grassroots understood their rights and knew how to report misconduct.
“We will visit communities one after another, including marketplaces,” he said.
The organisers said the outreach would continue as part of broader efforts to promote transparency, discourage extortion and improve relations between the police and the public.
