The Anambra State Police Command has refuted a report published by Punch Newspapers and attributed to Mr. Salaudeen Hashim, which claimed that the state recorded 14 cases of political assassinations between 2022 and 2024.
In a statement released on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Command described the publication as “baseless, malicious, and a product of the writer’s imagination,” insisting that no politically motivated killings occurred in Anambra during the period in question.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that although the state had experienced isolated security incidents, none qualified as political assassinations. He said the incidents were criminal attacks, primarily carried out by non-state actors posing as agitators, who have been consistently targeted by ongoing security operations.
The Command also rejected claims that areas such as Ihiala, Ogbaru, Nnewi South, Orumba North, and Onitsha North were unsafe for electoral activities. It pointed out that peaceful Senatorial and House of Assembly bye-elections had recently taken place in these same locations without any disruption.
Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, reiterated the Command’s dedication to protecting lives and property, noting that Anambra remains one of the most stable and peaceful states in the South-East. He urged residents to ignore the false report and continue collaborating with security agencies by providing credible intelligence.
The Command further cautioned media outlets against publishing sensational stories that could incite fear or distort the true security situation in the state.
