IGP Olatunji Disu Flags Off Massive Nationwide POCACOV Initiative to Tackle Cultism and Drug Abuse at the Grassroots

The Nigeria Police Force has launched a sweeping, nationwide campaign aimed at dismantling the root causes of youth crime, with Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu calling for a massive cultural shift to protect the next generation from the dangers of cultism and drug abuse.

The security offensive marks the full activation of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV). In a national briefing issued from the Force Headquarters in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, the police high command made it clear that traditional, reactive law enforcement is no longer enough to curb the rising wave of social vices among young people. Instead, the administration is leaning heavily into non-kinetic strategies—meaning approaches that rely on education, dialogue, and social intervention rather than physical force.

The operational rollout will see tailored advocacy programs go live across every single state command in the federation. By targeting schools, local neighborhoods, and hotspots for gang recruitment, the police intend to establish early warning systems that can identify vulnerable youths and steer them toward constructive community development before they fall into criminal networks.

IGP Disu maintained that the police must evolve to meet modern social challenges, noting that the long-term safety of Nigerian communities depends on cutting off the supply line of young recruits to criminal syndicates.

“Evolving new initiatives that address the root causes of crime is a far better option than merely concentrating on its manifestations,” IGP Olatunji Disu explained regarding the strategic shift. “POCACOV represents a modern, people-oriented approach by the Nigeria Police. Core law enforcement tools cannot single-handedly solve these systemic social issues. We must work hand-in-hand with different stakeholders and mobilize communities to protect our youth from the claws of cultism, sexual violence, and substance abuse.”

To ensure the message resonates on the streets, the police are bypassing rigid, formal lectures in favor of dynamic public engagement. The strategy relies heavily on the newly expanded POCACOV Ambassadors scheme, which integrates prominent actors, actresses, and musicians into the campaign to serve as relatable mentors. These public figures will lead school outreaches and neighborhood road-walks, using creative arts and open dialogue to challenge the false glamor often associated with gang culture.

The institutional framework also incorporates the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) through a dedicated community development service group, ensuring that young graduates are actively leading anti-vice campaigns during their primary assignments across rural and urban local government areas.

With standard operating procedures already distributed to all regional Public Relations Officers, the force is challenging community leaders, transport unions, market associations, and parents to join the security shield. By turning the fight against cultism and drug addiction into a shared civic responsibility, the police administration is out to prove that the most durable weapon against crime is a well-informed and supported community.