The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has approved the deployment of 45,000 officers for the Anambra governorship election billed for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Egbetokun said this on Tuesday at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held at INEC Headquarters, Abuja.
The IGP, represented at the event by the Commissioner of Police for Special Intervention Squad, Abayomi Shogunle, said the deployment would ensure adequate security before, during, and after the polls.
He announced that pre-election deployments would begin on November 1, with tactical units conducting clearance operations to neutralize threats and arrest potential troublemakers.
Egbetokun also disclosed that only security agencies officially represented in the ICCES—such as the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the military—would be involved in the election.
“No vigilante group will be allowed to play any role in the electoral process,” he IGP said.
He disclosed that the police would impose movement restrictions on Election Day and ensure all entry and exit points in Anambra are adequately manned.
“We are determined to deliver a peaceful and credible election,” he said.
On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, cautioned politicians and stakeholders against violence in the election, warning that such acts won’t be tolerated.
Ribadu, who was represented by the Director of Internal Security, Hassan Abdullahi, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful and secure environment for the November 8, 2025, poll.
“We are engaging with political leaders and local stakeholders to send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated,” he said, asking political parties and candidates to promote peace and discourage violence before, during, and after the exercise.
He said the Office of the NSA remains fully committed to implementing President Bola Tinubu’s directive on the strategic mobilization of security forces during the electoral period.
According to him, enhanced surveillance, deployment of adequate security personnel, and improved intelligence gathering have been put in place to prevent any attempt by “destructive elements or desperate politicians” to undermine the electoral process.
