By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Anambra State Police Command has expressed serious concern over the growing trend of some security operatives concealing their identities while providing protection to Very Important Personalities (VIPs) within the State, urging those concerned to always identify them.

It observed that the use if masks by operatives, particularly in non-operational or public facing assignments such as VIP protection makes it difficult to verify legitimacy and could be exploited by criminal elements to perpetrate unlawful acts under the guise of security duties.

The Command in a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, on Sunday said that while security duties often require tactical discretion, the act of masking identities without proper authorization raises significant security concerns.

According to him, such practices not only pose a potential threat to public safety but also undermine trust, accountability, and the integrity of inter-agency collaboration.

The statement partly reads: "To this end, the Commissioner of Police CP Ikioye Orutugu reiterates that identifiable security personnel remain a critical component of coordinated security operations, especially in an environment that demands synergy among various agencies.

"The use of masks by operatives, particularly in non-operational or public-facing assignments such as VIP protection, makes it difficult to verify legitimacy and could be exploited by criminal elements to perpetrate unlawful acts under the guise of security duties."

The CP further called on all security agencies operating within the state to ensure that their personnel are properly identified at all times while on routine or protective duties, except in clearly defined tactical operations sanctioned by appropriate authorities.

He added that Anambra State Police Command remains dedicated to upholding professionalism, accountability, and public trust in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.