The Anambra State Police Command has convened a peace meeting with two rival Anglican bishops in an effort to de-escalate tensions surrounding the leadership crisis in the Awka Diocese.
The meeting, held on Friday at the state police headquarters in Awka, brought together the suspended Bishop of Awka Diocese, Alexander Ibezim, and the newly appointed supervising bishop, Samuel Ezeofor.
The Commissioner of Police, Nnanna Ama, led the meeting, urging both parties to embrace peaceful dialogue, respect the rule of law and prevent the dispute from disrupting church activities or threatening public peace.
The police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed the development in a statement, explaining that the commissioner acknowledged the ongoing court proceedings and emphasised the need for all parties to respect the judicial process.
The leadership crisis stems from the suspension of Archbishop Alexander Ibezim by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Henry Ndukuba, for six months to allow investigations into allegations involving the archbishop and the diocese.
Among the allegations is the reported sale of church land for two billion naira, a claim that has become a major point of contention in the dispute.
The primate subsequently appointed the Bishop of Aguata Diocese, Samuel Ezeofor, as supervising bishop of the Awka Diocese and coordinating bishop of the Province of the Niger.
However, Ibezim has challenged his suspension in court, contesting the decision and the proposed disciplinary process.
The Board of the Diocese of Awka has also rejected the suspension, arguing that the decision did not follow due process. The board has threatened to withdraw from the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, and rejoin the Church of England if the decision is not reversed.
Against this backdrop, the police commissioner called on the rival church leaders to exercise restraint and use the established ecclesiastical channels to resolve their differences without interfering with the ongoing legal proceedings.
Ama also stressed that parishioners and worshippers must not be dragged into the disagreement or made to suffer the consequences of the leadership dispute.
He cautioned against inflammatory statements, confrontational behaviour and any actions capable of escalating tensions, warning that the command would take lawful measures to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
The commissioner further reaffirmed the police command’s impartiality, assuring the parties that officers would address legitimate security concerns professionally while respecting the rights of everyone involved.
The intervention follows heightened tensions on Sunday when police operatives were deployed to St Faith Anglican Church in Awka, where Ibezim reportedly officiated at a service despite his suspension.
The deployment triggered allegations that the police were taking sides in the dispute, partly because of the alleged involvement of Anambra State Deputy Governor Onyekachi Ibezim, who is the suspended archbishop’s younger brother.
The police have denied the allegations, maintaining that security deployments are intended to protect lives and property, maintain public order and prevent violence, rather than endorse any faction in the church.
The command has now appealed to church leaders, worshippers and other stakeholders to cooperate with peace efforts, respect due process and avoid actions that could turn the ecclesiastical disagreement into a wider security challenge.
As the legal proceedings continue, attention remains focused on whether dialogue and the church’s internal disciplinary mechanisms can help resolve the dispute while protecting the unity of the Anglican community in Anambra State.
