# The Anambra State Police Command has commenced enhanced security deployment to schools and strategic locations across the state as schools reopen for the new academic session, in line with the Inspector-General of Police’s Safe School Initiative.
The exercise, coordinated under the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, ACP Harrison Oruruo, involves the deployment of police personnel, sister security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to designated schools and strategic locations across the state.
According to the Command, the deployment is aimed at strengthening security around educational institutions, sensitising pupils and students on personal safety and security awareness, assisting schoolchildren with safe road crossing, and providing other necessary policing services to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment.
The exercise is also being used to strengthen collaboration among the Police, school authorities, teachers, parents, guardians, host communities and other stakeholders towards the early identification, prevention and prompt response to security threats around schools.
Personnel deployed for the exercise have been directed to maintain a high-visibility presence, monitor activities within and around school environments, assist pupils and students, particularly during peak arrival and closing periods, and respond promptly to security concerns.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, reiterated the Command’s commitment to protecting children, teachers, school authorities and other members of the school community.
CP Ama urged school authorities, parents, guardians and students to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, activities or emerging security concerns to the Police or other appropriate security agencies.
He further stressed that security is a shared responsibility, calling on all stakeholders to maintain effective communication with the Police and other security agencies and provide credible information that would facilitate timely intervention.
The Commissioner assured Ndi Anambra that the Command would continue to strengthen security visibility, intelligence-led policing, community engagement and proactive response around educational institutions across the state.
# The Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor has charged public relations practitioners to champion strategic communication as a tool for rebuilding public trust, accountability and excellence in governance.
Mefor gave the charge on behalf of Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the One-Day Hybrid Professional Training organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Anambra State Chapter, with the theme, “Re-inventing Public Trust, Accountability, Professionalism and Excellence in Anambra State: Harnessing Public Relations Best Practices in Government, Corporate and Public Service.”
He emphasised the power of branding and reputation management in politics and governance, noting that in public perception, perception is more potent than reality.
Mefor observed that some politicians with poor track records thrive because of excellent reputation management, stressing that governance must go beyond information dissemination to strategic communication that drives attitude change and behaviour modification.
# The Anambra State Government, through the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, has commenced medical and psychosocial intervention for a seven-year-old girl rescued from alleged abuse in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area.
The child, who remains in protective custody, is receiving medical attention for injuries reportedly sustained in the incident, while health personnel continue to closely monitor her condition.
Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs. Esther Onyekesi, expressed relief over the child’s condition and assured that the Ministry would continue to provide the necessary medical and psychosocial support to facilitate her physical recovery and emotional wellbeing.
Mrs. Onyekesi commended the medical team handling the child’s care, stressing that the welfare and safety of the rescued girl remain a priority of the Ministry.
She disclosed that the case is still under active investigation by the Nigeria Police Force, Awada Division, noting that the Ministry would continue to collaborate with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to protect the child and support efforts to ensure that justice is pursued.
The Commissioner urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspected cases of child abuse, neglect, exploitation or violence to the appropriate authorities.
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment, under the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, to protecting the rights, safety and wellbeing of children across Anambra State.
# In furtherance of its commitment to building a safer food environment in Anambra, members of the Anti-Piracy Society of Nigeria, APSON, have paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, to explore strategic partnership between the two in the areas of food safety and hygiene awareness, consumer education and public enlightenment, and sanitization of the Anambra food supply chain.
Other strategic areas of partnership sought by APSON are the prevention of food adulteration and food fraud, promotion of safety food practices from farm to table, as well as mass media campaigns and community sensitization.
In his address during the visit, the Director General of APSON, Mr. Frank Uduonu, who noted that food fraud is from the informal sector, said the anti-food fraud movement was inspired by Mrs Nonye Soludo’s healthy living initiative, and that media organizations are needed to drive the message to the grassroots; targeting one family one anti-piracy member.
Responding, the ABS MD, Mr. Molokwu, who noted that Anambra is one of the states with food fraud and other food challenges, leading to recent spike in health challenges, urged the group to partner with relevant ministries and institutions, including schools, health and agric ministries, to help push the message against food piracy.
While also noting that poverty and illiteracy are at the heart of why people patronize fake or substandard products, the ABS boss urged the people to imbibe healthy living initiatives.
# The Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce, Mr. Nonso Ebonwu, has challenged stakeholders in the state to leverage strategic partnerships to promote local production and reduce overreliance on imported goods.
Honourable Ebonwu made the call during a statewide stakeholders’ sensitisation seminar jointly organised by the Importers’ Association of Nigeria (IMAN) and the Anambra State Ministry of Commerce in Awka.
The seminar, held under the theme, “Securing Trade Corridors and Unlocking Blue Economy Opportunities,” brought together key stakeholders in commerce, security and governance to deliberate on ways to strengthen trade networks and unlock new economic opportunities in the state.
The Commissioner said Anambra must transition from a consumption-driven economy to a manufacturing and production powerhouse.
He commended IMAN for convening the dialogue, stressing the need to redirect the energy and enterprise of the state’s youth from merely importing goods to establishing industries and investing directly in productive ventures within Anambra.
Ebonwu urged stakeholders to empower young people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities required to build sustainable businesses, assuring participants that the state government remained committed to providing a secure and investment-friendly environment.
# Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s initiative in the education sector has continued to yield results as there is an increasing number of parents now willing to enroll their children and wards in public schools.
As the 2026/2027 academic session begins in earnest, public schools in the state especially in Onitsha where it monitored the resumption of school recorded an increase in student and pupil enrollment.
A visit to Ado Girls Secondary School Onitsha, it was observed that the school is transiting fully into the smart school initiative with high-tech digital equipment and modern chairs and desks installed.
Speaking, the Vice Principal in charge of Administration of the School, Mrs Chinyere Ubachukwu said they are fully prepared for the new academic session, advising the teachers to be committed to actualize the lofty dreams of Governor Soludo for the education sector while urging the students to work hard to be useful members of the society.
Some of the teachers who were in their classes when ABS visited: Mrs Chioma Okeke and Mrs Chikwa Ufele thanked Governor Soludo for providing them with the modern and digital gadgets saying that it made their teaching and learning easier.
# The Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs has commended the Mayors of Anambra East and Anambra West Local Government Areas, Mr. Ifeanyi Chinweze and Mrs. Edith Ndive, respectively, for their developmental initiatives and efforts to improve service delivery in their respective council areas.
The committee, led by Barrister Ebuka Igwe, gave the commendation during an oversight visit to the local government headquarters in Otuocha and Nzam, where it assessed the councils’ activities, achievements and challenges.
The visits formed part of the Assembly’s oversight responsibilities aimed at ascertaining the level of development, functionality and service delivery across the local government areas.
Responding to the committee, the Mayor of Anambra West, Mrs. Ndive, said the council had continued to function effectively and recorded numerous achievements across various sectors within the past two years.
She listed the acquisition of five boats among the achievements of her administration, explaining that one of the boats is being used for surveillance, while another serves as a means of transportation for the local government.
According to her, other achievements include the rehabilitation of roads, installation of solar-powered facilities, provision of boreholes and acquisition of buses.
She said the interventions were aimed at improving security, transportation and access to basic amenities, particularly for residents of the riverine communities in Anambra West.
The Mayor of Anambra East Local Government Area, Mr. Chinweze, also appreciated the committee for the visit, describing it as an opportunity for the council to present its achievements, challenges and areas requiring state and federal government intervention.
He said the local government administration remained committed to improving the welfare of the people and ensuring that available resources were deployed to projects and programmes that would have direct impact on the communities.
# The Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor says
Governor Chukwuma Soludo, is working with relevant stakeholders to position the state as the licit drug headquarters of West Africa through tighter regulation and a stronger partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Dr. Mefor stated this during a courtesy visit to the Anambra State Commandant, NDLEA, Anambra Charles Onubuogu, at his office in Awka.
Accompanied by the former Managing Director, Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office (ANCISRO), Sir Chuka Nnabuife, Mefor said the move was part of the ministry’s response to what he described as a “clear and present danger” of drug abuse affecting youths across the 179 communities in the state.
He noted that the rebranding of his ministry to include value reorientation was deliberate because drug abuse has become a major driver of crime.
He decried the shift from Indian hemp to more dangerous substances such as Tramadol, crystal meth ( mkpuru mmiri), observing that the drugs are cheap, lethal, and capable of destroying a young person after just one trial.
To tackle the menace, he proposed a three-point partnership with NDLEA built on education and sensitisation, enforcement, and alternative development, pointing out that the ministry will push aggressive campaigns to educate the people, while enforcement will be based on the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025, which provides for forfeiture of properties used for crime, even as Agunechemba, the state vigilante group will lend support.
On Alternative Development, the Commissioner explained that Anambra wants to key into NDLEA’s national program that helps willing dealers quit and start legitimate businesses. “We want to launch it as a massive statewide event to celebrate those who have turned a new leaf,” he stated.
He further disclosed that the drug hub being developed at Oba by the Soludo administration to become the biggest drug wholesale market in West Africa, will eliminate fake and expired drugs through full regulation.
# Maintenance work is advancing on the First Niger Bridge, following its closure by the Federal Government on September 7th for repairs due to vandalization of expansion joints, steel nuts and bolts, and potholes.
A week after work commenced, showed that entry points from Asaba and Onitsha have been graded and stone-based, while the pedestrian walkway from Onitsha is being asphalted on the left and graded on the right.
There is also, heavy pedestrian movement across the bridge, with barrow pushers and commercial tricyclists conveying people and loads to both sides.
Road users described the work as first of its kind and a welcome development that will ease traffic. They recalled that the last major maintenance was done under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
# The Dorcas Mercy Foundation, Anaocha Chapter, Anambra State, under the leadership of Dr. Paul-Mgbeafulike Vivian Stella, has continued to demonstrate strong commitment to charity, compassion, and service to humanity with a visit to the Priests’ Welfare Home at St. Thomas Aquinas, GRA, Awka, as part of their humanitarian and charitable activities.
The visit provided an opportunity for the members to spend meaningful time with the elderly priests, share moments of fellowship and show them love and appreciation for their years of service to God and humanity.
During the visit, the Foundation members prayed together with the priests and engaged them in a warm and inspiring discussion about the activities, objectives and humanitarian work of the Dorcas Mercy Foundation.
The interaction created an atmosphere of joy, unity, and mutual appreciation.
Speaking, in appreciation, Very Rev. Msgr. Simon Amateze, on behalf of other residents of the Home, thanked Dorcas Mercy Foundation, Anaocha Chapter, for serving with love, giving with compassion and touching lives with humanity.
