By Ruth Orji
Parents have been urged to play a more active role in preventing cultism and other social vices by instilling sound moral values in their children and closely monitoring their development from an early age.
The call was made by the President of the Ultimate Business Women and Farmers Association of Nigeria (UBWFAN), Mrs. Nkiru Nwagbo, during the launch of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) held at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, on July 30.
POCACOV is a nationwide initiative of the Nigeria Police Force, established to prevent cultism, drug abuse and other social vices through community engagement, awareness campaigns, and partnerships with critical stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Nwagbo stressed that parents, particularly mothers, often bear the emotional burden when children become involved in delinquent behaviour, urging families to nurture children with sound moral and spiritual values to enable them grow into responsible and productive members of society.
She encouraged fathers to exercise emotional intelligence and self-restraint in resolving family conflicts, noting that domestic violence and unhealthy home environments can contribute to the development of violent behaviour in children.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, SP Orvenonne Ikwen reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to preventive policing, describing it as a key strategy for tackling crime at its roots.
She emphasized the importance of addressing minor behavioural issues early, warning that seemingly insignificant acts of misconduct, if left unchecked, could develop into more serious crimes, including fraud and cult-related activities.
SP Ikwen disclosed that POCACOV is set to launch a mobile application that will enable members of the public to report criminal activities safely and conveniently without fear of intimidation.
She urged citizens to embrace the campaign’s slogan, “When You See Something, Say Something,” noting that the initiative seeks to strengthen collaboration between the police and communities while encouraging citizens to take ownership of security.
Also speaking, the President of the Anambra State Town Unions Council Youth Wing (ASTUC Youth), Mr. Ken Okoli, described security as a shared responsibility and advocated the establishment of POCACOV clubs in schools to promote positive values among young people.
He called for stronger collaboration among families, schools, communities and relevant institutions, while highlighting values such as the fear of God, patriotism, discipline, respect for life, truth, justice, dignity of labour, tolerance and obedience to the law as essential to building a peaceful and responsible society.
Ruth Orji is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
