Polls: Anambra CP Storms Aguata, Otuocha ,Warns Officers Against Betrayal of Trust
Anambra State Police Commissioner CP Ikioye Orutugu with walking stick surrounded by others senior officers
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, on Friday visited the Aguata and Otuocha Area Commands to interface with security stakeholders as well as officers and men of the Command serving in those areas, in preparation for the forthcoming Anambra Governorship Election scheduled for November 8, 2025.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, the visit formed part of the Command’s ongoing strategic engagements aimed at reinforcing operational readiness, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and sensitizing personnel on their professional roles during the election period.
During the interactive sessions, CP Orutugu reiterated that the Nigeria Police Force remains a neutral and non-partisan institution.
He stressed that the Police are not concerned with who wins or loses the election, but are fully committed to ensuring that the electoral process remains peaceful, credible, and secure, and free from violence before, during, and after the polls.
The Commissioner charged Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), Tactical Commanders, and Operational Teams to demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism, discipline, courtesy, and firmness as political activities intensify.
He reminded officers to remain apolitical and to be guided strictly by the Electoral Act, the Police Code of Conduct, and Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs).
As part of the visit, CP Orutugu also held a series of stakeholder engagements involving Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, Town Union Executives, Youth and Women Organizations, Local Vigilante Groups, and other Community Security Structures.
The discussions focused on enhancing intelligence sharing, discouraging voter intimidation, countering electoral violence, and promoting peaceful civic participation across communities.
While commending the relative peace in Otuocha, the CP praised communities in the area for adopting dialogue and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to address communal disputes that had previously led to conflicts.
He encouraged community leaders to establish internal peace committees to resolve land and boundary-related disagreements, emphasizing that such issues are civil in nature and should not be wrongly reported to the Police as criminal matters.
CP Orutugu urged Ndi Anambra to go about their lawful political activities without fear, assuring that the Command has already activated adequate deployments, intelligence monitoring, and rapid response units to ensure the safety and security of all residents throughout the election period.
He also appealed to political actors, stakeholders, and citizens to refrain from making inflammatory statements or engaging in actions that could destabilize the prevailing peace in the State.
The Commissioner emphasized that the peace, unity, and collective stability of Anambra State remain paramount and must be placed above partisan or personal interests.
