Anambra Government Orders Mandatory ID Checks for Hotel Guests and Tenants After Grisly Discovery

In a bold move to tackle insecurity, the Anambra State government has issued a directive requiring all hotel owners and landlords to verify the identities of their guests and tenants using a valid government-issued ID.

The decision comes just days after security operatives made a chilling discovery—over 30 graves and a shrine—at a hotel in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area.

Announcing the new policy on Friday, Law Mefor, the state’s commissioner for information, emphasized that the measure is designed to curb criminal activities and enhance public safety

Under the new directive, all hotels must request a National Identity Card, international passport, or voter’s card from guests at check-in. Hotel management is required to photocopy these documents and submit them to the President-General of the community, who will then pass them along to the local government mayor and the state government.

Non-compliance, Mefor warned, will result in the forfeiture of the hotel facility and possible prosecution.

Similarly, landlords must collect and submit detailed records of their tenants, including a valid means of identification, to their respective President-General.

The government is also placing more responsibility on community leaders. President-Generals of town unions are now required to oversee security operations in their communities as heads of the ‘Agunaechemba’ security committee. They must provide detailed monthly security reports to the state government.

Failure to submit these reports, Mefor cautioned, could lead to suspension and possible sanctions.

In a bid to encourage public participation in crime-fighting efforts, the state has also announced a ₦5 million reward for anyone who provides credible information on criminal activities.

Mefor urged residents to cooperate with security agencies, emphasizing that these measures are aimed at creating a safer and more secure Anambra State.