2025 POLICE PPROs’ CONFERENCE OPENS IN ABUJA AS IGP EGBETOKUN SETS NEW COMMUNICATION AGENDA …URGES POLICE SPOKESPERSONS TO LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST MISINFORMATION….

By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
8- DEC- 2025

The Nigeria Police Force took a major step toward redefining its communication framework on Monday, December 8, 2025, as the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, formally inaugurated the 2025 Annual Conference of Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) in Abuja. The event, held at the Police Resource Centre, brought together senior communication officers, security experts, and institutional partners for a comprehensive review of the Force’s public engagement strategies.

At the opening ceremony, the Inspector-General underscored the growing importance of credible communication in contemporary policing. He noted that the annual conference had evolved into a national platform for refining the Police’s image, strengthening community relations, and establishing a unified voice on matters of public interest. He stressed that public trust, now more than ever, is directly linked to the consistency and accuracy of information disseminated by Police spokespersons.

During his keynote remarks, the IGP drew attention to the escalating threats posed by misinformation and disinformation in Nigeria’s digital and physical communication spaces. He observed that distorted narratives and perception-driven crises have increasingly influenced public attitudes toward security institutions. As a result, he identified information management as a critical operational priority and urged PPROs to adopt a more strategic posture in countering falsehoods swiftly and effectively.

According to the IGP, Police spokespersons must be intentional and proactive in shaping public narratives. He called on them to embrace professionalism, factual accuracy, and speed in their communication duties, emphasising that “falsehood flourishes where truth is delayed.” In his address, he encouraged the intelligent use of social media as a mechanism for transparency, engagement, and real-time feedback, warning that information vacuums often become havens for distortion and speculation.

The Inspector-General also expressed confidence in the capacity-building sessions lined up for the conference, noting that the modules would broaden the communicative expertise of participants and enhance the overall public image of the Nigeria Police Force. He challenged the officers in attendance to recommit themselves to the values of integrity, diligence, and excellence, pointing out that the future of policing is significantly influenced by the quality of communication between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

The opening of the conference attracted a distinguished array of guests from the public relations community, academia, development institutions, and the policing sector. Among those in attendance were the President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku, fnipr (represented by Council Member and former Adamawa State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ahmed Sajoh, fnipr); the Director-General of the National Institute of Police Studies, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin; and the National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee, Alhaji Mogaji Ibraheem Olaniyan, represented by Ambassador Wada Sadiq.

Also present were the Deputy National Vice Chairman (North) of the PCRC and veteran Force spokesperson, AIG Tunji Alapini (Rtd), NPM, mni; the Provost of the Police Public Relations School, Abuja, CP (Dr.) Emmanuel Ojukwu (Rtd); as well as representatives from international and development partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Alert, GS-Foundation, the German Embassy, Moniepoint, and the CLEEN Foundation.

The conference is expected to continue with a series of technical sessions designed to refine crisis communication, enhance digital engagement, and equip Police spokespersons with the tools needed to effectively manage emerging information challenges.