Violence in Anambra poll will be met with force – NSA tells political thugs

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has issued a strong warning against any form of violence or disruption during the upcoming Anambra governorship election, cautioning that security agencies will respond decisively to any such acts.

Represented by Hassan Yahaya Abdullahi, the Director of Internal Security at the Office of the NSA, Ribadu gave the warning on Tuesday during a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

Ribadu said the federal government has put in place robust security measures to ensure a peaceful election.

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He added that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies are fully prepared to ensure safety before, during, and after the poll.

“As we prepare for the Anambra state governorship election on 8th November 2025, we have put in place robust security measures,” he said.

“These include enhanced surveillance, the deployment of sufficient security personnel, and improved intelligence gathering to prevent any attempt by disruptive elements or desperate politicians to undermine the electoral process.”

He said political leaders and candidates must take responsibility for peace and cautioned that “any form of violence during the elections will be met with a strong, uncompromising response”.

Joash Amupitan, INEC chairman, assured that the commission is fully prepared for the November 8 election, noting that logistics and security arrangements have been concluded.

“With just 11 days to the Anambra governorship election, the commission is confident in affirming its full preparedness for the polls,” he said.

“We plan to deploy 24,000 personnel, with voting taking place in 5,718 of the state’s 5,720 polling units.”

Amupitan urged security agencies to continue providing a safe environment for electoral officials and voters, warning against vote-buying and voter inducement.

“Security agents cannot afford to create an environment that allows vote buyers to operate,” he added.

“Together, let us combat vote-buying, uphold the values of democracy, and work relentlessly for the credibility of our elections.”