The Nigeria Police Force last Thursday launched its community driven program in Lagos state known as the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) at the Police college field one, Ikeja, Lagos.
This was part of the activities and measures by the immediate past Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to deepen the campaign in all the communities across the country for a safe, peaceful and secured nation in line with the Nigeria police force public safety and security framework and the Inspector General of Police Work Plan on crime management.
The event held at the parade ground of the police college titled ‘Cultism and Other Vices, A Growing Menace to Socio-economic Development in Nigeria’ had in attendance, security managers, religious leaders, youth-based organizations, heads of the Armed Forces and security agencies, government and non-governmental organizations, school children and their heads, artisans and other relevant stakeholders amongst others.
While presenting the overview, the National Coordinator of Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices(POCACOV), CSP Ebere Amaraizu thanked participants for coming and maintained that “POCACOV is a community driven program of the Nigeria Police Force under IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu aimed at sensitizing different stakeholders on the dangers of cultism and other vices and galvanizing their support to get to the root of the matter and resolving it because core law enforcement according to IGP Adamu is no longer enough to address these set of issues but through community and stakeholders participation and involvement.”
Amaraizu, however, emphasized that cultism and other vices in the society are like evil winds that blows nobody any good hence the need for effective collaboration.
“We have lost a lot of lives on the youth side to this evil malady and we need to arise to say NO to it for a safe and secured society.
“The Inspector General of Police has flagged off and launched this program and given that it is a community driven program, it has to be domiciled in all our communities. POCACOV has initiated so many peaceful moves which has led to some youths renouncing their membership and submitting arms. POCACOV has been on advocacy programmes and today Lagos state has anti-cultism Bill signed into law.
“POCACOV has been involved in so many forum based, activity based and community oriented programs aimed at sensitizing different stakeholders and achieving community peace building, cutting the supply chains and conveyor belt for a safe, peaceful and secured community,” he added.
On his part, the Governor of Lagos state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr Mobolaji Gaji, appreciated the Inspector General of Police for the wonderful initiative which he also described as laudable.
He also appreciated the efforts of the organizers, pointing out that the Lagos state government will continue to collaborate with the NigerIa Police Force as well as POCACOV to ensure that the campaign is well deepened in all the communities in the state.
He revealed that the state government recently passed into law a bill on anti-cultism with stiffer penalties and that this will add bite to campaign against cultism and other vices in the state.
In his speech, the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command, Hakeem Odumosu, commended Mohammed Abubakar Adamu for the POCACOV initiative. He also commended the state government for providing the legal framework to curtail cultism and other vices through the new Lagos State Anti-Cultism Law 2021.
The event was chaired by Ambassador Aminu Wisdom, Nigeria’s Principal Representative to ECOWAS from 2007-2012 and founder and president/Principal Consultant Strategic Facilitation International Limited.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police zone 2 Lagos and the commissioner of police, Ogun state were ably represented, same with His Royal Majesty Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun, Oniru of Iruland, heads of security agencies in Lagos, including the Representative of the Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashir Obasa amongst others.
Highlight of the occassion was the formal cutting of POCACOV cake as well as the formal handing of some copies of POCACOV campaign books to the representative of Governor Sanwo-Olu, amongst others.
