The Nigeria Police Force’s Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) recently conducted a groundbreaking community intervention outreach in Dape, Abuja, on July 17, 2025.
The initiative marked a significant milestone as the first of its kind in the history of the Nigeria Police Force, where they gave back to the public in a structured, people-centered manner.
POCACOV Head of Community Engagement, DSP Adoh Nwakaego, delivered a comprehensive presentation emphasising education, community partnership, and crime prevention.
One-on-one interviews with youths created an open dialogue, warning them of the consequences of criminality and offering clear pathways out of peer pressure and illicit activities.
Many Dape youths (aged 15-35 years) confessed feeling “brainwashed” by negative influences and expressed a need for economic and educational empowerment to build a dignified future.
The community expressed overwhelming gratitude to the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force for envisioning POCACOV and empowering ACP Olabisi Okuwobi, National Coordinator of POCACOV.
The community called for expanded empowerment programmes, vocational training, micro-grants, and mentorship to make the slogan: “Police is your friend” a lived reality.
POCACOV’s commitment to community-oriented policing approaches and partnership with stakeholders aimed to achieve peace, safety, and security.
The initiative has been described as a “powerful community-driven tool” by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
