The immediate past Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Ikioye Orutugu, has disclosed that he visited nightclubs and interacted with prostitutes during his tenure as the state police commissioner as part of efforts to gather intelligence and combat criminal activities.
Orutugu made the disclosure on Sunday during a thanksgiving service held at St. Peter’s Church, Amawbia Archdeaconry, Awka, to mark his retirement from the Nigeria Police Force after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60.
The retired police chief said he adopted various lawful strategies to confront security challenges in the state, particularly kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery.
According to him, his intelligence-gathering efforts took him to nightclubs and other places where information about criminal activities could be obtained.
“When I was deployed to Anambra State as Commissioner of Police, I was disturbed. When I came, I was focused and focused my mind on God, with the hope that with God, all things are possible,” Orutugu said.
He recalled that he regularly visited nightclubs in Awka while his Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) carried out similar intelligence-gathering activities in other parts of the state.
“As a police commissioner, I visited all the nightclubs in Awka, gathering information. While I was in Awka, my DPOs were doing the same thing in other cities.
“I interacted with prostitutes, ashawo, but I never slept with them. In the course of fighting crime, I interacted with ashawo and visited all the nightclubs in Awka every weekend,” he said.
Orutugu explained that his interactions in such environments were aimed at obtaining information that could help the police identify and tackle criminal activities.
He said he deliberately avoided making the indiscriminate use of force the centrepiece of his security strategy, choosing instead to work with traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders.
“When I came, I said I was not going to shed blood, but I would use leadership and communities to fight the challenges. To the glory of God, I did that and reduced the incidence of crime,” he said.
The retired AIG also attributed his career progression and deployment to Anambra State to what he described as divine providence, saying he never lobbied for positions during his years in the police service.
“I have never lobbied to be anywhere throughout my service, and I said the God that brought me here to Anambra would give me the capacity and courage to succeed.
“I am happy today that I came, saw and conquered. Today, to the glory of God, Anambra is safer,” Orutugu said.
In his homily, the officiating clergy, Venerable Jason Onyekagbusi, commended Orutugu for his contribution to security in Anambra State during his tenure as Commissioner of Police.
He said the retired police officer’s name would remain associated with the state’s security efforts.
“When we talk about security in Anambra State, your name is there, and God will give you the strength to live longer,” Onyekagbusi said.
The cleric also thanked God for protecting Orutugu throughout his police career and enabling him to retire without losing his life in active service.
He prayed for the retired AIG’s continued safety and that of his family as he begins life after active police service.
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