By Oluwakemi Kindness
Nigerians who fall victim to financial fraud can now report suspected scams, submit evidence and track their complaints through a new Nigeria Police Force digital platform.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, unveiled the NPF Vigilant App on Tuesday in Abuja as part of efforts to make financial-fraud reporting more accessible to the public.
According to him, the app allows users to submit fraud reports, upload relevant evidence, track their cases and receive feedback.
He said the platform was developed by its ICT Department in collaboration with stakeholders in the financial-services sector to improve the handling of suspected financial fraud.
Disu said the app would strengthen the police’s engagement with Nigerians and improve its response to financial-fraud complaints.
He said technology remained an important tool for professional policing but stressed that its use must respect citizens’ rights, privacy, data protection and accountability.
Alongside the app, the IGP unveiled the NPF–MTN Closed User Group (CUG) Network to provide police personnel nationwide with secure and affordable communication.
The network is expected to improve communication between commands and units and support faster coordination during emergencies and police operations.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of ICT, Fayoade Adegoke Mustapha, said the initiatives would help the Force deploy practical technology-driven solutions to improve service delivery.
He urged Nigerians to download the Vigilant App from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and use it responsibly to report suspected financial fraud.
Representatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion, NIBSS, financial institutions, fintech companies and other partners attended the unveiling.
