The fight against cultism and other vices in Lagos State has been given a boost with the launch on Thursday of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Social Vices ( POCACOV) at the Parade Ground, Police College, Ikeja.
POCACOV which was launched in partnership with the Lagos State government is coming barely two weeks after the state government signed a 21 year imprisonment for cult and cult related crime in the state.
The event with the theme : Cultism and other vices: Growing menace and destructive elements to socio- economic development in Nigeria was chaired by His Excellency, Ambassador Aminu Wisdom had Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu ,the governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties.
Others dignitaries at the event include the Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr Mobolaji Gaji, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Mudashir Obasa, represented by Hon Setonji David, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Onikan-Lagos, AIG Ahmed Iliyasu, religious leaders, the youths, students, heads of the armed forces and other security agencies in Lagos State, senior police officers and the chairman Police Community Relations Committee, Lagos State, Apostle Kehinde Showemimo and other dignitaries present.
The National Coordinator, POCACOV, CSP Ebere Amarizu while giving a speech on the establishment, duties and achievements of the unit at the event encouraged the youths and all the stakeholders to support the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, on the fight against cultism and other social vices across the country. He also promised that the campaign will be launched in all the states of the federation.
While delivering the event lecture, former Commissioner of police CP Emmanuel Ojukwu praised the Lagos state government for signing a sentence of twenty one years for cultism and other vices. He said " cultism is a national problem we all need to solve. A cultist is someone that has been radicalised and he has a sense of invisibility. He or she has a cruel mentality. Method of solving cultism is not by arrest and prosecution alone. We need to talk with them ,need to disorient them and deradicalise them and we cannot overemphasis the need for good parenting".
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu, in his speech appreciated the Inspector-General of Police, the Lagos State Police Command and the organisers of the event for initiating such a laudable campaign structure against cultism and social vices at a time like this. He therefore assured the police of adequate support towards maintenance of law and order; and combating crimes and criminality in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, while commending the Inspector-General of Police for the establish of the unit, also commended the government and good people of Lagos State for providing the wherewithal and legal framework to the police to fight cultism in the state as the new Lagos State Anti Cultism Law, 2021, has been fully implemented. He confirmed that sixty (60) suspected cultists were charged to the Chief Magistrate court, Yaba, on Wednesday, 31st March, 2021 and many cultists will still be apprehended and prosecuted with the same law.
At the event, the stakeholders such as the Oniru of Iru-Land, Oba Gbolahan Lawal, represented by Retired CSP Fisayo Ishola, Chief Imam of Lagos State and the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, appreciated the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force on their efforts toward combating crimes and criminality in all ramifications in the state and beyond. They however promised to contribute their quota in the fight against the societal menaces of cultism, rape, gangsterism and hooliganism.
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