Anambra's 2025 election will test the state's ability to balance security and democracy, a second briefing on the Security Threat Assessment report presented on Tuesday by Director of Programmes, CLEEN Foundation, Dr Salaudeen Hashim, ahead of the November 8 governorship election has revealed.

The report also concluded that the actions of security agencies and the tone of the media space will largely determine whether the polls are peaceful or tense, stressing that building trust, promoting accurate information, and ensuring professionalism among security actors remain key to having a credible election.

It noted a significant shift in risk local government areas from the last dissemination, listing Ekwusigo, Ayamelum, Awka South, Onitsha North and Orumba South as high-risk LGAs, as against Ihiala, Ogbaru, Nnewi South, Orumba North, and Onitsha North mentioned at the first briefing.

According to the report, key security concerns or challenges that undermine public confidence, and can fuel tension during the polls, include perceived bias, excessive use of force, poor coordination/training, and low public trust.

To tackle the concerns, it recommended the need to retrain officers on neutrality, de-escalation, and human rights.

The report further suggested the need to establish public complaint mechanisms and address security agents' partiality and professionalism.