Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Edeolu Egbetokun, has deployed Commissioner of Police Abayomi Shogunle as the Police Commissioner in charge of the November 8 gubernatorial election in Anambra State.
The deployment does not affect the current substantive Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ikioye Orutugu, who remains in office.
The move, according to the police authorities, also dispels earlier speculations of plans to transfer the current police commissioner, a practice that had been common in past election seasons in the state.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the deployment of CP Shogunle was described as part of the Force’s strategy to strengthen security planning for a peaceful and credible election.
“The Anambra State Police Command today, 4th November 2025, wishes to announce the resumption of CP Abayomi Shogunle, PhD, fsi, as the Commissioner of Police to take charge of policing in the State for the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025,” the statement read.
Ikenga added that the posting was in line with the operational strategy approved by the Inspector-General of Police to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process.
Upon assumption of duty, Shogunle activated the IGP’s Enforcement Protocol for Anti-Electoral Offences, pledging zero tolerance for ballot snatching, vote-buying, political thuggery, and voter intimidation.
The Police spokesperson also revealed that the new Commissioner had strengthened the Electoral Offences Desk, which will monitor social media and online spaces to detect cyberbullying, misinformation, and the spread of fake reports during the polls.
“The CP has also put in place a central command framework to ensure real-time intelligence sharing, coordination, and rapid response, with a joint deployment of over 60,000 security personnel from agencies within the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). These officers will secure the 5,720 polling units, inter-LGA and state boundaries, as well as designated collation centers,” Ikenga stated.
The statement further reiterated the ban on vigilante and quasi-security groups, such as Agunechemba, from participating in election duties, emphasizing that only federal security agencies are authorized to provide election security in line with national laws.
Additionally, the police banned VIP movements with armed escorts or security aides at polling and collation centers, warning that violators would face immediate arrest, withdrawal of security details, and prosecution.
“Only designated INEC officials, accredited observers, and journalists are permitted to move freely between designated areas,” the statement noted.
The Police Commissioner called on political actors, community leaders, and the electorate to cooperate with the police and other security agencies to maintain peace before, during, and after the election.
