Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguard the integrity of the November 8 Anambra governorship election, pledging a firm, neutral, and law-based enforcement of peace and order.
Speaking at the signing of a peace accord in Awka on Monday, Egbetokun assured residents that the police and other security agencies were fully prepared to deliver a peaceful, credible, and law-abiding election.
“This is a constitutional and operational convocation to consolidate our collective commitment to peace, law, and order.
“The Nigeria Police Force stands prepared to ensure that this democratic exercise unfolds under an atmosphere of absolute security, fairness, and public confidence”, the IGP said.
Egbetokun reaffirmed the Police Force’s statutory mandate as the lead agency for internal security and election management under Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020.
Read also: Anambra guber poll: No room for logistics failure, Amupitan warns staff
He said a comprehensive, intelligence-led operational plan had been activated to cover all 21 local government areas of Anambra State.
According to him, the deployment plan, developed under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), will see adequate police presence in all 4,608 polling units across the state, supported by the Armed Forces, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“Every formation, patrol team, and operational asset is integrated into a central command framework for real-time communication, intelligence exchange, and immediate intervention. We are prioritizing prevention before reaction, ensuring no vacuum exists for mischief or disorder”, he explained.
Egbetokun emphasised that security agencies would remain neutral and apolitical throughout the electoral process, maintaining allegiance only to the Constitution and the Nigerian electorate.
“Our allegiance is not to any political party, candidate, or ideology, but solely to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Force shall remain neutral yet assertive; civil yet firm; professional yet unyielding in the discharge of its duties”, he declared.
The police chief warned that any attempt to undermine public peace, manipulate the election, or intimidate voters would attract “swift, lawful, and proportionate force.”
“Under no circumstance will criminality be permitted to masquerade as political expression. The peace of Anambra State is non-negotiable, and the integrity of this election will not be compromised”, he said
Egbetokun announced a total ban on the participation of vigilante and non-state security outfits, including the defunct Ebube Agu, in election-related activities, stressing that only federal agencies are authorized to manage security during elections.
He cited Sections 91(1) and 120(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which vest exclusive authority for maintaining public peace during elections in the Nigeria Police Force.
“The responsibility for election security is an exclusive preserve of the Federal Government and its recognized agencies. Any group or individual performing such functions is acting unlawfully and shall face sanctions”, he said.
The IGP also issued a stern warning to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), over alleged plots to disrupt the election through sit-at-home orders and voter intimidation.
“Such actions are clear acts of criminality and treasonable defiance of the Nigerian State. Any attempt by IPOB, ESN, or any other non-state actor to interfere with the forthcoming election shall invite an immediate, coordinated, and overwhelming law enforcement response”, he warned.
He added that intelligence operations were already underway to identify and dismantle networks planning acts of violence, stressing that anyone caught bearing arms or performing unauthorized security duties would be treated as an armed non-state actor and prosecuted.
The police, he said, have activated a Zero-Tolerance Enforcement Protocol to ensure strict compliance with electoral laws.
Egbetokun directed officers to arrest and prosecute anyone caught engaging in offences such as vote-buying, ballot-snatching, or voter intimidation.
“Electoral offences will be treated as criminal violations of national security, not mere political misconduct,” he stated.
He also revealed that cybercrime units had been deployed to track and counter fake news, digital misinformation, and propaganda that could incite violence or discredit the electoral process.
“Those who weaponize misinformation to incite violence will be traced, apprehended, and prosecuted under the Cybercrime Act,” he added.
The IGP outlined several election-day protocols, including restrictions on VIP movements and a ban on armed escorts accompanying political candidates. Only accredited officials, journalists, and observers would be permitted to move freely between designated areas.
Campaigning, partisan displays, or acts capable of provoking violence near polling units are also prohibited.
“Possession of any weapon or instrument of intimidation will attract immediate arrest,” he warned.
Egbetokun appealed to political parties, candidates, and community leaders to demonstrate restraint, patriotism, and leadership by discouraging violence and inflammatory rhetoric.
“Campaign with honour; persuade rather than provoke,. Power attained through violence is illegitimate and unsustainable”, he urged.
He called on traditional and religious leaders to use their moral influence to dissuade youths from engaging in electoral violence and to promote unity and peace within their communities.
In his closing remarks, the police chief reassured residents that the Force would protect every voter and uphold the sanctity of the ballot.
“On November 8, exercise your right to vote freely and fearlessly. We shall protect your lives, your votes, and your voices.
“Our mission is clear, to defend the law, preserve peace, and uphold the sovereign will of the people. Order will be absolute”, he said.
