Group says police campaign against cultism reduces youths in custodial centres

The Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) says ongoing police campaigns against cultism and other vices have reduced the number of youths in custodial centres nationwide.

The National Coordinator of POCACOV, CSP Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Thursday.

Amaraizu said that the police was achieving this through the POCACOV massive and ongoing sensitization against cultism and other vices across schools of all levels in the country.

According to him, due to the nationwide sustained campaign of POCACOV against cultism and other vices; it has contributed in the depopulation of youths from custodial centres nationwide.

“The ongoing POCACOV school sensitisation programmes and developed modules offer a platform of educating and sensitizing children and youths; thus, helping them to overcome challenges of dangerous narratives and ideologies in our society.

“POCACOV working with different modules and stakeholders to engender a society devoid of cultism, vice and violent behaviours making for a safe, secured and peaceful society,’’ he said.

Amaraizu said that POCACOV programmes were community-driven in line with the “Public Safety and Security Framework’’ of the Nigeria Police.

The national coordinator noted that the programme aimed at cutting the supply chain and conveyor belts of cultism and its negative tendencies.