Ahead of its South-South summit slated to take place later this year in Portharcourt, Rivers state, the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) has intensified its community consultations and mobilizations as well as inter agency, ministries and department visitations in Rivers state for effective partnership and collaboration in the campaign against cultism and other vices.
According to POCACOV National Coordinator CSP Ebere Amaraizu, “the move became necessary given to the fact that POCACOV as a community policing instrument and tool, is designed to work with different stakeholders and to galvanize their support to resolve issues bothering on crime and criminality especially cultism and other vices in the country.
“On 30th September, 2020, the POCACOV campaign team of stakeholders, ambassadors and volunteer clubs led by Rivers State POCACOV Coordinator DSP Abdullahi Yusuf Idi in company of Amb. Emmanuel Bulus, a stakeholder and the Rivers state Chairman of POCACOV Volunteer Club(PVC) Amb. Eke Onwuka paid a courtesy visit to the Comptroller Nigeria Immigration Service Rivers State Command Barr. R. Adegoke in his office.
“During the visit, POCACOV State Coordinator DSP Adbullahi Yusuf Idiot, representing the National Coordinator presented POCACOV and its objectives to Barr. Adegoke who commended the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar Adamu and the Nigeria Police Force on the initiative and assured of his commands partnership with POCACOV to ensure that incidences of child trafficking amongst other vices are mitigated through community oriented policing approaches and maintained that his command will be part of the South-South summit billed to take place later this year in the state.
Responding, Amb. Eke Onwuka thanked the comptroller on his warm reception and assured of strong partnership between POCACOV and Nigeria Immigration Service in Rivers state to reduce the incidences of child trafficking and other vices through stake holders mobilizations and engagements.
The POCACOV Team in continuation also paid a courtesy visit to the Rivers state commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amb. Rachael Shellaeng and presented POCACOV and its objectives as well as its thematic areas of coverage in line with community oriented policing tenets as it affects campaign against cultism and other vices especially substance and drug abuse amongst others.
The NDLEA boss welcomed the team and commended IGP Mohammed Adamu and the Nigeria Police Force on the wonderful initiative which also coincided with what her agency is doing and assured that her agency will continue to partner POCACOV to ensure that Nigerian children and youths are constantly sensitized on the dangers of cultism, substance /drug abuse and other related vices.
She maintained that her agency has a unit known as Drugs Demand Reduction Unit(DDRU) which share same philosophy with POCACOV pointing out that cultism and drug abuse are the major gateways to crime and criminality and which requires stakeholders support and participation being championed by POCACOV.
In the same vein, the POCACOV campaign team equally visited the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Hon. Samuel Nwanosike to present the programme to him ahead of POCACOV South South Summit.
They used the occassion to present POCACOV campaign T-shirt and materials to him. Elele in Ikwerre local Government Area of the state is the operational base of POCACOV and POCACOV has impacted in the communities within Ikwerre Local Government Area, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state where great number of youths have been turned around as a result of POCACOV advocacy and various intervention programmes.
Responding, Hon. Samuel Nwanosike commended IGP Adamu and the Nigeria Police Force on POCACOV initiative which has done great job in Ikwerre LGA through its POCACOV Volunteer Club of safer school/community partnership and assured of his council’s maximum support.
In his vote of thanks, Amb Emmanuel Bulus thanked the chairman for his support which has led to several achievements by POCACOV in Ikwerre local council.
POCACOV is a community driven programme of the Nigeria Police Force under IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to sensitize different stakeholders on the dangers of cultism and other vices and the need to desist from it through community oriented policing approaches.
