Ikioye Orutugu: The Commissioner Who Restored Trust, Delivered Anambra’s Most Peaceful Election
For a state once marked by political tension and separatist sentiment, the November 2025 Anambra governorship election was a remarkable departure from the past.
Not only was the election peaceful, it was by many accounts, the most uncontroversial election the state has witnessed in years.
At the centre of this transformation was the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, whose quiet but deliberate approach to policing reshaped public perception and restored trust in law enforcement.
“When I arrived in Anambra, there was deep distrust between the people and the police,” Orutugu recalled. “We didn’t come with the attitude of force or power.
We came to elicit trust and confidence, to show the people that the police are part of them.”
His philosophy of visible and trust-based policing underpinned the security architecture that delivered a violence-free poll.
Instead of heavy-handed tactics, Orutugu prioritised constant community engagement, meeting presidents-general of towns, traditional rulers, and youth leaders across all 179 localities in the state.
He also enforced a strict no-police-involvement-in-land-matters policy, identifying land disputes as the root cause of many violent crimes.
Working closely with Governor Charles Soludo, the military, and local vigilante groups, the police built synergy that gradually transformed previously volatile areas into peaceful communities. “For the first time in five years,” Orutugu noted, “campaigns took place in areas once considered off-limits.
People could wear party T-shirts, identify as Nigerians, and participate freely.”
He credited Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his unwavering support, describing him as “a compassionate leader building a new policing culture.”
The IG’s approval for training local vigilantes in human rights and professionalism, he said, helped integrate them into the formal security framework.
On the election itself, the CP dismissed rumours of widespread malpractice. “There was no magic, just strategy, visibility, and public trust,” he said. “We demilitarised the process, reduced tension, and made the environment feel safe.
The people themselves ensured peace.”
Today, Anambra stands as a model of what community-centred policing can achieve. “Everyone needs peace,” Orutugu reflected. “The people now realise that safety is for their own benefit.
Once there is peace, Anambra’s markets, investments, and future will flourish.” as such, he called on ndi Anambra to come home for Christmas as the state is safe.
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