With the recurring activities of members of different cult groups in Nigeria, which have resulted in untimely deaths of many youths, the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) in Oyo Police Command has charged students in schools in the state to shun cultism, avoid negative peer pressure and other vices that can disrupt their academic lives and cause a setback to their progress in life.
POCACOV gave the charge on Tuesday, during visit to three schools in Ibarapa Central Local Government Area, to sensitise over 2,000 students on how to avoid cultism, illicit drugs, political thuggery, stealing, gambling, defilement, fraud, murder, and other crimes.
The schools visited included Police Secondary School, Adegoke College and Favourland College, all in Igboora Town.
Led by the State Coordinator, ASP Ayishat Mary Eriaremhien and supported by the second-in-command, Anti-Cultism Unit of the Oyo State Police Command, SP Mohammed Abubakar, the POCACOV team included its state Chairman, Dr. Abraham Adeoye, who was represented by Mr. Kunle Odedele and the state Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) chairperson, Mrs Esther Adegbenjo, represented by Chief Mrs Bosede Omolara Ojoye; among other members.
The Area Commander, Eruwa Area Command, ACP Ruth Otolorin, who spoke on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola, gave a message of hope to the students on how to become a good leader of tomorrow by abstaining from crime totally.
ACP Otolorin enjoined the students to make a good choice of being law-abiding persons.
“Your teenage should be your age of pleasure, not one that leads you to regrets. You should be good ambassadors to your families, the nation, and your maker,” ACP Otolorin advised the students.
In her address to the students, the state Coordinator of POCACOV, ASP Eriaremhien, noted how cultism had resulted in loss of lives, academic disruption and long term involvement in crime for many.
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She said that POCACOV was a proactive policing initiative of the Nigeria Police Force to prevent crime through strategic engagement with young people.
This, she said, helps in mentoring youths before they would be involved in cultism, drug abuse, cyber crime and other social vices.
Expressing concern about how these behaviours undermine moral values, increase insecurity and limit the productivity capacity of the society, ASP Eriaremhien stressed that a nation burdened by widespread social vices would not be able to achieve sustainable development.
She spoke on the efforts of the police on public awareness campaigns through engagement in schools, communities and religious centres where young people are educated on the dangers and consequences of involvement in cultism and other social vices.
The second-in-command of the Anti-Cultism Unit, SP Mohammed Abubakar, who described cultism as organised criminal activities which encourages violence to attack targets, said that the Unit was specifically designed by the Command to tackle the menace of cultism by apprehending and prosecuting the suspected members.
He said that the targets of cultists are usually their rivals or anyone who offends them, which often result in outright killing.
He stated that the need for POCACOV to sensitise the youths came as a result of cultism now being practised in primary and secondary schools, with attacks on one another.
He admonished the students not to join cult groups, as there is always no going back once they are in.
SP Abubakar also advised the students to be wary of unnecessary friendships they keep, and avoid being lured to parties which may be cover-ups for initiation
In his remarks, the Supervisory Councillor on Education, Ibarapa Central Local Government Area, Hon. Olukunle Adegbemi, who represented the LG chairman, spoke on hard drugs and their stages.
He advised the students not to attempt experimenting with what they have known to be bad, as such addiction would not help them in attaining life goals.
He enjoined the students to set time for themselves to achieve their lifelong goals and also choose their friends wisely.
Hon. Adegbemi counselled the students: “Know the types of friends to choose. Shapen your lives. Seek counsel from your schools and the elderly, and limit your exposure to negative apps on social media.”
Ismail Abdulmalik, aged 14, an SSS1 student at Police Secondary School, Igboora, appreciated POCACOV for the sensitisation visit to his school and the lessons learnt about the evil associated with cultism, saying: “I’m from a good family and would not like to be part of such.”
POCACOV also donated gift items to the students.
The Commandant, Police Secondary School, CSP Fisayo Ogunlade, and the other schools proprietors appreciated the Nigeria Police Force for the lectures received by their students and the gift items they were given.
POCACOV had earlier gone to Distinct-Jubilee International College, Ojoo Ibadan, where it celebrated the students to mark 2026 Children’s Day and also lectured them on being good ambassadors of the nation.
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