As the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) commemorates its 41st anniversary, the organisation is reaffirming its commitment to community policing through a rally and sensitisation campaign. This year's event highlights the significance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
Engr. Junaid Olatunji Victor and Amb. Barrister Memunat Sheriff, the National Youth Coordinator Ambassador, and the National Women Coordinator Committees, today, 7th May 2025, led members of the PCRC on a rally and sensitisation campaign within Jabi Motor Park in Abuja. The rally kicks off at the PCRC Secretariat in Abuja.
The rally and sensitisation campaign serve as a platform for the PCRC to engage with communities, raise awareness about important issues, and promote peaceful coexistence.
Addressing journalists, the National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, Alhaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, thanked the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, for supporting the PCRC Youths and Women Committee. He stressed that it's under the leadership of the IGP Egbetokun that community policing is now practical.
He said that under his leadership, the PCRC youth and women have been stronger and stronger.
"It's only under Egbetokun that we have practical. And the IGP Egbetokun is supporting, He knows the importance of our youth and women. He is supporting them, it's giving us back in to empower them.
"And that is the reason we are celebrating 41 anniversary, and we know the importance of the youth and women. That's why we give them a complete day. Today, across the country, it is for our youth and women in PCRC.
"And we have youth and women who are professionals. We have youth and women who are well-to-do in personality, in society. And we have lawyers among them, we have engineers among them, we have architects among them, we have drivers, we have businessmen, we have fishermen among them, and we have farmers," he said
On the vote of confidence passed by the PCRC Youth and Women Unit, Alhaji Olaniyan said; "In fact, we thank God this vote of confidence on IGP, Kayode Egbeyokun, PhD NPM from our youth, the youth committee across the nation, they assessed him and they have a joint meeting with the women committee, our National Youth Coordinate Ambassador, and the National Women Coordinate, they have a general meeting and they sent a proposal to us. And we endorse it. We have are celebrating 41 years now. We are the closest organisation working with the Nigerian police.
"We are not paid; we are all well-to-do personalities in this country, and nobody can tell us to do anything. We are criticising them only if it's not in public, if they went wrong. But for Kayode Egbetokun, in the history of PCRC.
"We have history, if I'm not there when they created PCRC. Egbetokun is the best IGP we can have, because whenever we notice anything, any infraction, we send a letter to him, and he corrects it. Whenever we see anything that has to do with the safety of the public, and on that Egbetokun, we send information to him; he protects the informant, and they work with it.
So we have 100% and we are part of the system. It's all about running a transparent administration. So we can trust it and we will pass it again.
Kayode Egbetokun is the best IGP, start from accountability, start from respecting human dignity, start from supporting the police community relations without needing any facts for us. We have access to all the police in this country, so we thank God this comes from our youth and women. And we, as the national body, endorse it.
In his words, Engr. Junaid Olatunji Victor, the National Youth Coordinator of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), thanked the leadership of the Nigeria police Force and the leadership of the PCRC for giving the youth and women a voice to hear their own opinion as well.
"Because if you look at the history of the Nigerian police and the youth, especially, what led to ENDSARS is because of the mistrust between the Nigerian police and the population, the youth. But we actually have bridged the gap now," he said
Speaking on the rally, Engr Olatunji pointed out that "today we are going to have it in three segments. The first one is, I want to actually have an engagement with the Pantera.
"Everybody knows the havoc some of these scavengers have cost in our society, especially vandalising government property. And we are looking at it, but like two months ago, if I'm not mistaken, the Pantaker was shut down.
"And that is the economy lost to the people that actually running that business. We want to tell them the danger of accepting stolen property, especially government property that has been vandalised. So this time around, we want to sensitise them".
He also, on behalf of PCRC Youth, announced that a vote of confidence was passed on the IGP Egbetokun, and people are more sensitised. There are certain police officers as their friends. If you look at what is happening, you see a lot of youth.
"We are not criminals. We are just reaching out to the people to let them know that the police are your friends. If you walk with them, we are going to achieve a better environment."
In her words, the National Women Coordinator of the police community Relations Committee PCRC, Ambassador Barrister Maimuna Sheriff, on behalf of the PCRC youth and women, showed solidarity to IGP, Kayode Egbetokun. "We love his leadership style. Ever since he came on board, we have loved his pragmatic style that he has been using to lead the police in Nigeria. Talking about discipline, the welfare of the police.
"We want to use this privilege to say we show our vote of confidence in him. And we are appreciating and we are solidly behind him. That is the voice of the PCRC youth and women community.
Amb. Sheriff noted that women have a good role to play in society. "If you see something, you say something, even in our area, you see how they are telling our children. Like in Kano, you see where they put a lot of children to change their identity.
"We empowered the leaders of police officers who lost their husbands, who lost their acting side. And we even give them shoes and sandals.
"We, the mothers, we know the pain of the children going to school in that purple dress. And the other time, we also gave the police officers during the last award, where my brother, the executive governor of Cano State, was given, because I'm the special advisor on community policy. We raised 20 million naira for widows to hold themselves very well.
She added that women and youth are the major role of the insecurity, which is why the PCRC decided to bring the women and youths in the community together to assist the community.
"Because you see that most people who are committing the crime are youth. Why are they doing what they are doing? Because most of them are doing nothing.
SpyeTV News reports that the highlight of the rally and sensitisation camapaign was the free blood test and enlightenment about blood donation by the National Blood Service Commission.
As the organisation continues to build on its successes, its work remains crucial in fostering a safer and more harmonious society for all.
The PCRC's efforts have been instrumental in promoting mutual understanding, trust, and cooperation between the police and the public. Through its community-based initiatives, the PCRC has helped to improve security, resolve conflicts, and enhance the overall quality of life for citizens.
By working together, the PCRC and the communities it serves can build stronger relationships, address security challenges, and create a brighter future for generations to come.