By Our Correspondent
The Anambra State Police Command has directed its eight Area Command and 54 Divisional Coordinators of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) to intensify community engagement and stakeholder advocacy as part of a renewed proactive strategy to combat crime and strengthen public safety across the state.
The directive was issued during a strategic meeting at the Command Headquarters in Awka, where the Police reaffirmed that lasting security can only be achieved through strong collaboration with communities and key stakeholders.
The Command urged the coordinators to work closely with traditional rulers, religious organisations, educational institutions, youth and women groups, market associations, civil society organisations, and other community-based groups to promote crime prevention and social harmony.
According to the Police, POCACOV remains a vital platform for advancing advocacy, mentorship, value reorientation, and public enlightenment.
Coordinators were therefore tasked with stepping up grassroots campaigns against cultism, substance abuse, cybercrime, domestic violence, bullying, and other social vices threatening peace and development in communities.
Ahead of the planned visit of the National Coordinator of POCACOV, the coordinators were also directed to organise town hall meetings, school sensitisation programmes, community engagements, media advocacy campaigns, youth mentorship initiatives, and stakeholder dialogues aimed at promoting responsible citizenship, peaceful coexistence, respect for the rule of law, and collective commitment to crime prevention.
The Command stressed that effective policing goes beyond enforcing the law, noting that building public trust, strengthening community partnerships, and encouraging residents to provide credible and timely information remain critical to sustaining security.
Reaffirming its commitment to community policing, the Anambra State Police Command pledged to continue strengthening stakeholder-driven security initiatives through POCACOV and other proactive crime prevention programmes.
The Command also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and sustain their partnership with the Police in promoting peace, security, and public order across Anambra State.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the initiative reflects the Command’s unwavering determination to build safer communities through sustained public engagement and preventive policing.
Tags: Anambra Police, POCACOV, Cultism, Community Policing, Crime Prevention
