By Ayomide Otitoju
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has approved the deployment of 45,000 police officers to ensure adequate security for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Egbetokun announced the measure on Tuesday during a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
Represented by Abayomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Intervention Squad, the IGP said the deployment aims to guarantee peace and order before, during, and after the polls.
He revealed that pre-election security operations would commence on November 1, with tactical units conducting clearance exercises to neutralize threats and apprehend potential troublemakers.
Egbetokun emphasized that only security agencies officially represented in ICCES—including the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the military—will participate in election duties.
“No vigilante group will be allowed to play any role in the electoral process,” he said.
He added that movement restrictions would be enforced on Election Day, with all entry and exit points in Anambra effectively secured to prevent disruptions.
“We are determined to deliver a peaceful and credible election,” Egbetokun assured.
Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, urged political actors and stakeholders to shun violence, warning that any attempt to disrupt the polls would be met with firm resistance.
Represented by Hassan Abdullahi, Director of Internal Security at the NSA’s office, Ribadu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to providing a secure and peaceful environment for the election.
“We are engaging political leaders and local stakeholders to send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated,” Ribadu said, adding that parties and candidates must promote peace throughout the electoral period.
He also noted that the NSA’s office is implementing President Bola Tinubu’s directive on the strategic mobilization of security forces, with enhanced surveillance, intelligence gathering, and personnel deployment designed to deter “destructive elements or desperate politicians” from undermining the election.
