Police task parents on curbing cultism in Enugu

The Police Command in Enugu State has urged parents and guardians to strengthen children’s upbringing to curb hard drug abuse, cultism and other social vices.

Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, made the call on Tuesday during the re-launch of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) in Enugu.

The event also featured a stakeholders’ meeting with the theme, ‘Strengthening Community Partnership for Sustainable Crime Prevention’.

Giwa said parents must not abandon their responsibility of moulding children’s character to schools, communities or law enforcement agencies.

According to him, the home remains the first institution for instilling discipline, good values and responsible conduct among children and youths.

He stressed that children should be guided away from bad company, while delinquent behaviour should be corrected during formative years.

The commissioner identified hard drug abuse as one of the early warning signs requiring prompt parental intervention.

Giwa recalled that POCACOV was introduced in Enugu through the initiative of former Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu.

He said the command had consistently sustained the campaign through community engagements and preventive policing initiatives.

“As a Command, we have promoted community policing and engagements to a new height as we believe that police cannot do it alone.

“We need cooperation and support of all segments of the state,” he said.

Giwa said the command had remained at the forefront of redirecting misguided and drug-dependent youths through social interventions and counselling.

“We have been in the vanguard using our social engagements to redirect misguided and drug addicted youths,” he said.

He added that the initiative sought to encourage positive change, productivity and social reintegration among vulnerable youths.

The commissioner of police pledged continued support for POCACOV activities and other community policing programmes across the state.

“The Command will also sustain all existing POCACOV engagements and community policing initiatives,” he said.

Giwa said emotional intelligence and non-kinetic approaches often delivered better outcomes in addressing certain social and security challenges.

He also appealed to traditional rulers, youth leaders and community stakeholders to encourage eligible youths to join the Nigeria Police Force.

According to him, the Enugu State Government has provided vehicles and logistics to support effective policing operations.

He said greater youth participation in policing would strengthen efforts to reform misguided youths and improve community safety.

National Coordinator of POCACOV, SP Orvenonne Ikwen, said the initiative promotes non-kinetic crime prevention strategies.

Ikwen said the programme was designed to reclaim vulnerable youths and discourage involvement in criminal activities.

She identified peer pressure and hard drug abuse as major drivers of cultism and youth delinquency.

According to her, sustained sensitisation campaigns and constructive engagements can reduce substance abuse and negative influences.

“Our youths must be taught and oriented to pursue positive engagements that produce positive results,” she said.

Traditional ruler of Ugwuaji, Awkunanaw Autonomous Community, Igwe Chinedu Nwaobodo, underscored the importance of early guidance for young people.

Nwaobodo said some youths commit situational offences that could be avoided through proper mentorship and improved social conditions.

“As traditional rulers we have a role to constantly engage the youths and correct perceived mistakes on time,” he said.

The Secretary-General of the Police Officers’ Wives Association in Enugu State, Mrs Adaeze Anosike, pledged support for the campaign.

Anosike said POWA would collaborate with stakeholders to expand POCACOV awareness and preventive programmes across communities.

Organisations represented at the event included National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Others were National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation.