By DEBORAH AKPEDE

The President of the Eagle Crime Awareness and Prevention Initiative (ECAPI), an anti-crime advocacy group, Mr Samuel Eniola, has urged Nigerians to report police officers demanding money for bail, stressing that bail is free.

Eniola gave the advice during a road walk and sensitisation campaign in Lagos on Saturday to mark the 10th anniversary of ECAPI and the 11th anniversary of the Nigeria Police Force Complaint Response Unit (CRU).

The event had the theme: “Say No to Police Impunity; Police Is Your Friend; Bail Is Free.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on July 20, 2026, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, approved a formal collaboration between ECAPI and the CRU to strengthen community policing, promote public awareness and improve police accountability.

Eniola also urged members of the public to report cases of police harassment, brutality and other human rights abuses to the CRU.

He said public awareness of the CRU had increased from less than 10 per cent to about 20 per cent through sustained advocacy and public enlightenment campaigns.

He described the development as encouraging progress in efforts to educate Nigerians about the unit’s services and mandate.

The ECAPI founder said the initiative would sustain its advocacy efforts to ensure more Nigerians understood the CRU’s operations and how to seek redress over misconduct by police officers.

He said the CRU had an office at the Lagos State Police Command where members of the public could lodge complaints.

Eniola also called on individuals, organisations and local governments to partner with the unit, noting that promoting police accountability and public trust required collective efforts.

He urged members of the public to contact the CRU through calls on 08057000001 and 08057000002, SMS on 08057000000 and WhatsApp on 08057000003.

“The unit can also be reached through Instagram and X (@PoliceNG_CRU) and Facebook (PoliceNgCRU),” he said.

Also speaking, the National Administrative Director of ECAPI, Mr Reagan Onuoha, said the event was organised to appreciate the contributions of the initiative’s founder, Eniola, and celebrate the longstanding partnership between ECAPI and the police unit.

Onuoha said the collaboration was aimed at strengthening public awareness, promoting citizens’ rights and supporting efforts to reduce crime and criminality across the country.

He said the partnership had significantly improved public awareness of the CRU and its activities through sustained advocacy campaigns.

“Before ECAPI collaborated with the CRU, I am not sure many Nigerians knew about the unit as they do today. The CRU has come into the limelight because ECAPI has also taken up the advocacy,” he said.

Onuoha said members of the initiative had embarked on several advocacy campaigns, including visits to communities in Lagos to educate residents about their rights and the role of the CRU. (NAN)