By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command, through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), has concluded arrangements to stage a statewide public awareness walk against cultism and other social vices, scheduled to hold on Friday, December 19, 2025, by 7:00 a.m., starting from the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the initiative forms part of the ongoing non-kinetic strategies of the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, aimed at promoting peace, security, moral reorientation, and responsible citizenship, particularly among young people across the country.
He said in Anambra State, the campaign is designed to sensitize residents on the dangers and long-term consequences of cultism, drug abuse, violent crimes, and other related social vices that continue to threaten public safety and social cohesion.
According to the PPRO, the walk will serve as a rallying point for collective action, encouraging community ownership of security and fostering positive behavioural change through advocacy rather than force. It is expected to draw broad participation from sister security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and student organizations, civil society groups, transport unions including Keke and bus drivers’ associations, as well as other critical stakeholders committed to building a safer Anambra State.
On his own part, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, fwc, mnips, PhD, while underscoring the importance of the exercise, described POCACOV as a people-centred and preventive approach to policing that prioritizes dialogue, engagement, mentorship, and partnerships with communities over enforcement alone. He noted that tackling cultism and social vices requires addressing their root causes through sustained advocacy, value reorientation, and collaboration with community influencers and institutions.
The CP further reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to continue working closely with Ndi Anambra to promote sustainable peace, youth empowerment, and crime prevention, stressing that security is a shared responsibility that cannot be left to law enforcement agencies alone.
The Command further called on members of the public to come out en masse and actively participate in the awareness walk, emphasizing that united civic action remains critical to discouraging cult-related activities and other criminal tendencies across the state.
It also re-assured residents of its commitment to proactive policing, community partnership, and the protection of lives and property in Anambra State.
