The Anambra State Government has banned operatives of its community security outfit, Agunechemba, from wearing masks while on duty.
The directive was issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, during a meeting with commanders of the outfit drawn from the 179 communities across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
According to a statement issued by the adviser’s office on Friday, the ban takes immediate effect and aims to prevent unscrupulous persons from using masks to commit crimes in the guise of security operatives.
Emeakayi warned that any Agunechemba personnel found flouting the order except those on approved special assignments would be arrested and disciplined.
“Henceforth, Agunechemba operatives must stop wearing masks. Any operative carrying out his duty with a mask, especially within towns in civil cases, is hiding something,” he said.
He added that operating with masks could scare citizens and allow criminal elements to perpetrate crimes that might be blamed on the agency.“You have nothing to fear. All of you live in various localities, and people already know you as security men,” Emeakayi told the commanders.
The Special Adviser also cautioned against the indiscriminate mounting of road checkpoints by the operatives, saying such checkpoints must be strictly for security reasons and not for harassing innocent road users.
He directed commanders to focus on intelligence-led operations, particularly against drug dealers in the state.
Agunechemba was launched in 2025 with 2,000 personnel and 200 vehicles under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law.
It operates on a community-based approach to strengthen local policing and combat crime. Prior to the ban, operatives often covered their faces with masks bearing various designs during operations.
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