The Anambra State Police Command has clarified a viral social media video showing an encounter between court bailiffs and police operatives during the enforcement of a court order, saying the footage circulating online captures only part of the incident.
The Command, in a statement issued on Thursday, October 8, 2026, by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said it had commenced an assessment of the incident to establish the full circumstances surrounding the encounter.
Ikenga said preliminary information indicated that police operatives attached to B Division had responded to a distress call concerning the presence of unidentified persons and a reported disturbance at a premises within the division’s jurisdiction.
According to him, upon arriving at the scene, the operatives met some individuals allegedly engaged in the eviction of persons and removal of properties from the premises.
“In the course of establishing the identities of the persons involved and the purpose of their activities, the officers approached them and requested appropriate identification,” Ikenga said.
He explained that a disagreement subsequently occurred between the police operatives and some of the persons at the scene, who later identified themselves as court bailiffs carrying out an enforcement exercise pursuant to a court order.
“The Command further understands, from the preliminary information available, that the Police Division was not previously approached for security assistance before the commencement of the enforcement exercise,” Ikenga stated.
The police spokesman said that after the operatives were informed that the individuals were court bailiffs acting pursuant to a court order, they advised them on the appropriate procedure for requesting police security support during such enforcement exercises before withdrawing from the scene.
Ikenga said the Command remained committed to respecting the authority and independence of the judiciary, stressing that the police would continue to provide lawful security support for the enforcement of valid court orders where such assistance was duly requested and required.
He added that the Command was equally committed to ensuring that enforcement exercises were conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law.
“The Command has nevertheless taken note of the concerns arising from the incident and has engaged the relevant parties as part of efforts to establish the complete facts and ensure that the matter is handled professionally, impartially and in accordance with the law,” Ikenga said.
The Command urged members of the public to exercise restraint and refrain from drawing conclusions based solely on isolated video clips circulating on social media, particularly where such footage does not capture the complete circumstances surrounding an incident.
Ikenga said the Command would communicate further developments as necessary after concluding its ongoing assessment of the incident.
