From left: Secretary of NUJ, CRS Council, Comrade Mike Abang, the new PPRO, CRS Police Command, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, NUJ Chairman CRS Council, Comrade Archibong Bassey, members of the Police team who accompanied the PPRO, and some NUJ members.
By Ita Williams, Calabar
In a move to strengthen ties with the press, the newly appointed Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Cross River State Command, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, led his team on a courtesy visit to the state council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
The meeting, held on Tuesday at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, State Housing Estate, Calabar aimed to establish a cooperative relationship between the police and the media.
ASP Eitokpah stressed that collaboration is essential for effective policing and public safety. “We are here to channel our path together, making Cross River a safe place for all,” he stated.
He said the indispensability of the press, remarking, “If we don’t work with the media, we’re going to fail.”
The police spokesperson expressed concern over the spread of misinformation, particularly through online platforms. “Right now, we have plenty bloggers online.
They just carry their phone and just start sending wrong information,” Eitokpah noted. and warned that such actions risk “creating pandemonium, creating panic, creating tension.”
To counter this trend, Eitokpah highlighted the need for accurate reporting through official channels. “If we are able to send the right information through the verified sources,” he explained,
“it is why we deemed it first necessary to come here today”, he said introducing his deputy and colleagues to the journalists, affirming, “We are for you and you are for us.”
In his response, the State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Archibong Bassey, welcomed the police delegation and their commitment to partnership. He assured the command of the media’s support in promoting factual reporting.
“For a safer Cross River we will continue to partner with the Police to ensure work in progress, and to ensure verified information is disseminated to the public,” Bassey said.
The visit marks a deliberate step by the new police leadership to foster transparency and public trust through a stronger alliance with the Fourth Estate.
