By Amadin Idahosa
Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu has directed the domestication of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Vices, POCACOV programs in all the states of the federation.
The directive was In line with the ongoing fight by Nigeria Police Force, NPF, against the incessant cases of cultism and similar vices in the society.
IGP Adamu gave this directive after the National coordinator of POCACOV, CSP Ebere Amaraizu and other officials of POCACOV submitted copies of ‘Spatio Temporal’ Analysis of cultism in some parts of the country.
The findings, according to a statement issued to newsmen by POCACOV Media Officer, Onuora Aninwobodo, hinted that the campaign is anchored on the principles of community policing.
It stated that the IGP is of the strong view that all states of the federation should embrace the program and domesticate it in view of the overall security of the nation.
He said the programme is informed, firstly, by the realization that there is a correlation between cultism and other violent crimes involving our youth population.
Another factor, he said, is the deep-rooted and socially-driven crimes like cultism, adding they’re best mitigated through a strategy that is premised on community policing practices which encourages building partnership towards addressing delinquencies that threaten Nigeria’s communal values.
Speaking to public, the IGP advised that all should join forces with the Police and support the campaign in order to save Nigerian Youths from the claws of cultism and other vices, in order to attain a safe and secured nation.
He urged POCACOV leadership to reach out to state Governors and other political leaders to commence the state to state campaign.
Recall that the POCACOV campaign is an initiative that is aimed at saving the youths from the claws of cultism and other vices through advocacy, awareness creation, sensitization and re-orientation, including school and community outreaches, amongst others.
Other members of the POCACOV leadership during the presentation and decoration at the force headquarters included the force public relations officer Dcp Frank Mba, PROVOST Police Institute of Public Relations, Cp Emmanuel CS Ojukwu (Rtd), consultant to the IGP on media and POCACOV partner, Shina Philips, Mr Akin Emmanuel the lead consultant POCACOV, others.
