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 By Emeka Chiaghanam

The Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) has called on youths, parents, community leaders and institutions in Anambra State to unite against cultism, drug abuse and other criminal activities by embracing proactive crime prevention and community policing.

The call was made during the Anambra State Stakeholders' Interactive Meeting on POCACOV held at the Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, where government officials, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations, security agencies, educational institutions, civil society groups and community leaders gathered to discuss practical ways of building safer communities.

Crime Prevention Begins Before Crime Happens

Speaking during the meeting, the National Coordinator of POCACOV, SP Orvenonne Ikwen, said the campaign was established to prevent young people from becoming involved in crime by promoting positive values, strengthening family ties and encouraging collaboration between the police and the public.

She explained that policing has evolved beyond the traditional approach of making arrests, stressing that intelligence gathering, community participation, information sharing and crime prevention have become essential tools for achieving lasting security.

According to Ikwen, the campaign seeks to save young people from avoidable criminal behaviour before they become offenders.

"We are here to save our children from avoidable crime. Modern policing is no longer based solely on arrests; it is about information gathering, intelligence sharing, community engagement and crime prevention," she said.

She added that relying solely on force can no longer address today's security challenges, noting that effective policing requires the active involvement of families, schools, religious organisations, traditional institutions and communities.

"It is no longer enough to depend only on kinetic policing. Security is everyone's responsibility. Communities, parents, teachers and religious leaders all have important roles to play in raising responsible young people," she said.

Ikwen described POCACOV as more than an anti-cultism campaign, saying it is a nationwide advocacy initiative designed to build a generation of disciplined, productive and law-abiding citizens capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.

She urged parents to become more intentional in raising their children by instilling honesty, discipline and sound moral values while discouraging every form of criminal behaviour.

According to her, every parent should be concerned about the future of the next generation rather than depending solely on security agencies to solve societal problems.

She appealed to communities across the state to support the campaign and encouraged young people to join POCACOV instead of secret cults or criminal groups.

Schools to Become Centres of Value Reorientation

The National Coordinator also announced plans to establish POCACOV clubs in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, as well as among out-of-school youths, to promote responsible behaviour and discourage involvement in criminal activities.

Responding to questions from participants, Ikwen said reforms introduced by the Inspector-General of Police were aimed at strengthening accountability within the Nigeria Police Force, restoring public confidence and deepening community policing across the country.

She disclosed that the Police Complaints Response Unit remains active and accessible through various social media platforms, adding that disciplinary measures are being taken against officers found guilty of misconduct, including those operating illegal roadblocks.

Police Seek Stronger Public Partnership

Also speaking, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, reaffirmed the command's commitment to improving security through stronger collaboration with communities.

He said the Inspector-General of Police had expressed satisfaction with the security initiatives and community policing strategies being implemented by the Anambra State Command, a development that informed the decision to relaunch the POCACOV programme in the state.

According to Ikenga, effective policing cannot succeed without public trust and support.

"We are not only talking about cultism but about preventing every form of crime. Every crime, no matter how small, can develop into a major security threat if it is ignored. That is why we want this programme to reach every community and become a people's movement against crime," he said.

Stakeholders Throw Weight Behind the Campaign

The President-General of the Anambra State Town Union Council (ASTUC) Youth Wing, Comrade Kenneth Okoli, commended the Nigeria Police Force for bringing the initiative to the state, describing it as a practical platform for addressing cultism through value reorientation and community participation.

Okoli said POCACOV provides young people with a positive sense of belonging as an alternative to joining secret cults, adding that the initiative is anchored on values capable of producing responsible citizens.

He urged parents, schools and religious institutions to deliberately instil good character and discipline in children, stressing that policing should no longer be viewed as the sole responsibility of security agencies.

"We are ready to identify with POCACOV because sustainable security requires the participation of everyone. We must raise our children with truth, discipline and sound moral values if we want a better society," he said.

Parents, Especially Mothers, Urged to Lead by Example

Also speaking, the President of the United Business and Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mrs Nkiru Nwagbo, challenged mothers to take a more active role in shaping the future of their children.

She said children often imitate the behaviour they observe from their parents, making it necessary for mothers to demonstrate good values and correct wrongdoing at an early stage.

"We must pay attention to our children's emotional intelligence and moral upbringing. Parents should never encourage or defend misconduct but should always guide their children towards responsible behaviour," she said.

Other stakeholders, including Chris Obi Okafor, Enwelite Peter, Kenechukwu Onyekwuluje and Dr Mrs Beatrice Ifunanya, called on the police to sustain efforts at removing criminal elements from communities while protecting the identities of citizens who provide useful information to law enforcement agencies.

They also stressed that women, particularly mothers, often bear the emotional consequences when young people become involved in crime and therefore have a crucial role to play in preventing cultism and other social vices through proper parenting.

Stakeholders Endorse Community-Based Security Initiative

The stakeholders unanimously endorsed POCACOV's community-based approach to crime prevention, describing it as a timely and sustainable strategy for tackling cultism, drug abuse and other social vices through partnerships, value reorientation and proactive policing.

The meeting ended with the presentation of a gift by the President-General of the ASTUC Youth Wing to the Inspector-General of Police in appreciation of his support for the POCACOV initiative, as participants pledged to work together to expand the campaign across communities and educational institutions in Anambra State.