“Any Violence During Anambra Election Will Be Met With Strong Response” — Ribadu

National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu has warned that any act of violence during the upcoming Anambra governorship election will be met with a firm and decisive response from security agencies.

Represented by Hassan Yahaya Abdullahi, director of internal security at the Office of the NSA, Ribadu issued the warning on Tuesday at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

He said the federal government has put in place comprehensive security arrangements to ensure a peaceful and credible poll, emphasizing that the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies are fully prepared to maintain order before, during, and after the election.

“As we prepare for the Anambra State governorship election on November 8, 2025, we have put in place robust security measures,” Ribadu said. “These include enhanced surveillance, 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 urged political leaders and candidates to promote peace and warned that any form of violence during the election would be met with a strong and uncompromising response.

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan reaffirmed the commission’s readiness for the polls, saying that logistics and security arrangements have been finalized.

“With just 11 days to the Anambra governorship election, the commission is confident in affirming its full preparedness for the polls,” Amupitan said. “We plan to deploy 24,000 personnel, with voting taking place in 5,718 of the state’s 5,720 polling units.”

Amupitan also called on security agencies to sustain efforts in ensuring the safety of voters and election officials while maintaining vigilance against vote-buying and voter inducement.

“Security agents cannot afford to create an environment that allows vote buyers to operate,” he said. “Together, let us combat vote-buying, uphold the values of democracy, and work relentlessly for the credibility of our elections.”