POLICING AT THE SUB-NATIONAL LEVEL: SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, ANAMBRA CP ORUTUGU

The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has reiterated that effective policing at the local level is a shared responsibility between the Police and the public.

The Commissioner made this statement on Thursday during a roundtable discussion at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, themed “The Nigerian Police and the Challenges of Policing at the Sub-National Level: Is State Police a Viable Option?” 

The event, held at the IPBS Boardroom, forms part of the Police Command’s ongoing contribution to the broader conversation on security in Anambra State.

CP Orutugu was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ikenga Tochukwu.

The roundtable discussion, organized by the Institute for Peace, Security and Development Studies in collaboration with the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP), featured distinguished participants including Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ben Chiobi (Rtd.), Special Adviser on Security to the Governor of Anambra State; HRH Igwe P. O. Omachonu; Prof. Amaka Joe-Iguh; members of academia; civil society organizations; and media representatives. Their collective insights focused on strengthening security governance and improving policing effectiveness at the sub-national level.

According to CP Orutugu, effective policing depends on trust, cooperation, and active community participation. 

He said that “only through unity of purpose can Anambra achieve sustainable peace and safety,” stressing that residents must demonstrate greater readiness to collaborate with the Police to enhance security service delivery.

He further reaffirmed the commitment of the Anambra State Police Command to deepening Community-Police partnerships, improving intelligence-driven operations, and continuously strengthening the State’s overall security architecture.