Police to engage youths in fight against cultism, substance abuse

The Nigeria Police Force says it will roll out massive engagement and enlightenment of stakeholders to check cultism, substance abuse, sexual and gender-based violence in 2021.

CSP Ebere Amaraizu, National Coordinator of Police Campaign against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday that modules for the engagement had been developed to run in various clusters.

He said stakeholders could tap into them to understand the overall essence of the Nigeria Police Force’s public safety and security design anchored on community-oriented policing.

He said that the essence of the programme was to sensitise different stakeholders and importantly, youths, who were more into cultism and substance abuse.

The national coordinator noted that cultism and substance abuse had given birth to other societal crimes and vices among the youths.

“The programme will consolidate on the strong and acceptable traditions of putting a round peg in a round hole.

“It will encourage positive and progressive competitions among youths and galvanise their support to understand their importance to safety, security and development and as leaders.

“We thank the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, for his leadership mind-set which has propelled the POCACOV initiative and its numerous intervention programmes aimed at providing alternatives and strategic leadership direction for youths,’’ he said.

Amaraizu noted that POCACOV created robust awareness against youths’ involvement in crime, cultism and other vices, their consequences and way out in 2020.

He added that in 2021, POCACOV desired the engagement of all stakeholders in parenting and upbringing to take responsibility for any child or young adult under their care.

The national coordinator noted that parents, guardians, caregivers and stakeholders could not exonerate themselves from taking responsibilities on the prevalence of loss of value and moral decadence among children and youths.

“POCACOV shall be working with ministries, departments and agencies as well as community and youth-based organisations, market unions and faith-based organisations in 2021.

“This is with a view to galvanising their support towards invigorating values and cultures that promote hard work, dedication and the needed discipline that have been jettisoned and abandoned.

“The positive value system and culture is the bedrock of any progressive society or country,’’ he said.

POCACOV aims at saving Nigerian children and youths from cultism and other vices through stakeholders’ involvement and participation in enlightenment, education, persuasion and reformation, Amaraizu stressed. (NAN)