The Anambra State Police Command has denied providing security cover for the embattled Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim, during a church service at St Faith’s Anglican Cathedral, Awka, on Sunday, following speculation that the deployment of heavily armed personnel was intended to shield him amid an escalating leadership crisis in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

The command’s spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, described reports surrounding the deployment as misleading, insisting that the presence of officers was intended to maintain law and order, protect lives and property, and prevent a breakdown of peace.

In a statement made available to journalists in Awka, Ikenga said police deployments were guided by security considerations, irrespective of the affiliations or positions of those involved in a dispute.

“The Command emphasises that police presence should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any party or position in an ecclesiastical disagreement,” he said.

He urged media organisations, social media users and other stakeholders to verify information before publication and avoid narratives capable of inflaming tensions within the religious community.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the law impartially and preventing the dispute from degenerating into a breach of public peace and security.

The controversy arose after Ibezim conducted the service despite a directive by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, ordering him to proceed on six months’ compulsory leave.

In a letter dated October 13, 2026, Ndukuba directed Ibezim, who is also Archbishop of the Province of the Niger, to step aside pending investigations into allegations against him, including alleged forgery and the sale of diocesan land reportedly valued at about N2 billion.

The directive followed petitions concerning alleged criminal offences within the diocese, Ibezim’s dealings with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and reports from administrative investigations. Ndukuba reportedly cited Section 29(1), Chapter V of the 2020 Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) as the basis for the order.

The Primate also barred Ibezim from officiating at activities of the Church of Nigeria, the Province of the Niger and Awka Diocese during the leave period.

To oversee the affected ecclesiastical jurisdictions, Ndukuba appointed the Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ezeofor, as Supervising Bishop of Awka Diocese and Coordinating Bishop of the Province of the Niger.

However, Ibezim’s supporters rejected both the compulsory leave order and Ezeofor’s appointment.

At an emergency meeting on October 16 at the Chapel of Divine Favour, Anglican Village, Ifite-Awka, the Diocesan Board passed a vote of confidence in Ibezim and challenged the Primate’s authority to impose the leave while related legal proceedings remained pending.

The board directed diocesan organs to remain loyal to Ibezim and reject directives issued by Ezeofor. It also threatened that Awka Diocese could consider withdrawing from the Church of Nigeria and rejoining the Church of England if the disputed decisions were not reversed.

The communiqué was signed by the Diocesan Chancellor, B.E.I. Nwofor (SAN); the Synod Secretary, Ven. K.E.N. Chukwukamma; and the Lay Synod Secretary, Eugene Chukwudi Okonkwo.

Ibezim subsequently conducted the Sunday service, maintaining his claim to the diocesan and provincial offices. He reportedly described the move against him as a form of spiritual warfare.

The crisis deepened when Ezeofor withdrew Nwofor’s appointment as Diocesan Chancellor in a letter dated October 17, 2026.

Addressed to Nwofor at Emmanuel Chambers, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the letter accused the senior lawyer of undermining the Primate’s authority and defying church directives. Ezeofor declared him unfit to remain chancellor and directed him to hand over all diocesan properties and documents in his possession to the Legal Secretary.

Copies of the letter were reportedly sent to the Primate, the Chancellor of the Church of Nigeria and the church’s Registrar. Efforts to obtain Nwofor’s reaction were unsuccessful as of press time.

Although the police described reports about their deployment as misleading, the command did not identify the individuals or organisations responsible for them.

No specific source was named in the information available for this report as having formally accused the police of taking sides.

The command maintained that its presence at the cathedral was a neutral security measure intended to prevent the church leadership dispute from escalating into a public order crisis.