The Anambra State Police Command has denied taking sides in the leadership dispute rocking the Diocese of Awka, following the deployment of security personnel to St Faith Anglican Church in Awka on Sunday.
The command said the deployment was aimed at maintaining law and order, protecting lives and property, and preventing a breakdown of peace.
The heavy security presence followed a directive by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, asking the Archbishop of the Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim, to proceed on six months’ compulsory leave.
In a statement on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, described reports suggesting that the police were taking sides in the dispute as misleading.
He stressed that the presence of security personnel should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any party or position in the ecclesiastical disagreement.
The statement read, “The Anambra State Police Command has described reports concerning police presence at St. Faith Anglican Church as misleading, cautioning against the misrepresentation of security interventions in ways that could heighten tensions surrounding the alleged ecclesiastical dispute.
“The Command wishes to clarify that the deployment of police personnel to any location is guided by the need to maintain law and order, prevent a breakdown of peace, protect lives and property, and ensure the safety of all concerned, irrespective of their affiliations or positions in the dispute.
“The Command emphasises that police presence should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any party or position in an ecclesiastical disagreement.”
The police said the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to enforcing the law, safeguarding citizens’ rights and preventing disputes from escalating into threats to public peace and security.
The command urged media organisations, social media users and other stakeholders to verify information before publication and avoid spreading reports capable of inflaming tensions within the religious community.
It reassured residents that it would continue to discharge its responsibilities professionally and impartially.
“It will not allow any disagreement, religious or otherwise, to degenerate into a breach of public peace and security,” the statement added.