The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, Friday, led police officers and members of the public on an advocacy walk against cultism and other social vices across the state.

The exercise was carried out under the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), a community-driven initiative of the Nigeria Police Force focused on engagement, advocacy, prevention and strategic partnerships rather than enforcement alone.

Speaking during the walk, CP Orutugu reaffirmed the Command’s zero-tolerance stance on cultism and warned that criminal activities capable of threatening public peace and security would not be tolerated in Anambra State. He assured residents of the Police Command’s commitment to maintaining law and order and protecting lives and property.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, described the advocacy walk as part of sustained efforts by the Command to proactively address cultism, youth-related crimes and other social vices through collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Chairman of POCACOV in Anambra State, Kingsley Ezika, described the initiative as a vital bridge between the Police and the public. He commended the Inspector General of Police for establishing POCACOV as a nationwide programme and stressed that the enforcement of anti-cultism laws marked a decisive move to end cult-related activities in the state.

Ezika emphasized that Anambra State would not tolerate cultism in any form, noting that offenders would face the full weight of the law.

The Youth President General of the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), Ken Okoli, described the advocacy walk as the beginning of sustained engagement to end cultism. He called for collective responsibility, especially from parents and community leaders, and commended the Anambra State Government for addressing the root causes of cultism through youth empowerment and skills acquisition initiatives.