IGP appoints female officer as head of police anti-cultism unit

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP,  Kayode  Egbetokun, has approved the appointment of SP Orvenonne Ikwen as the new National Coordinator of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) .

PlatinumPost reports that POCACOV is a strategic national initiative of the Nigeria Police Force, designed to advance non-kinetic approaches in combating the menace of cultism and other social vices.

A statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP  Benjamin Hundeyin, on Saturday, said the appointment aligns with the IGP’s commitment to a modern, intelligence-led, technology-driven, and citizen-centred policing vision, that prioritises early intervention, public trust, and proactive community engagement in tackling crime nationwide.

“SP Ikwen, an experienced police officer, security and development practitioner, and strategic communication expert, brings a strong blend of professional and academic credentials to her new role. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science, majoring in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science from the University of Calabar.

” She has distinguished herself through her contributions to technology-driven policing, public relations, and behavioural change communication. She is a member of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria (ISMN) and the Institute of Conflict Management & Negotiation Analyst (ICMNA). She has played key roles in police transformation projects, research, and inter-agency collaborations.

“As National Coordinator, SP Ikwen is expected to expand and deepen POCACOV’s engagements across institutions of higher learning, schools, communities, and youth platforms by addressing cultism, drug abuse, cyber vulnerabilities, gender-based violence, misinformation, and other social vices through preventive, participatory, and community-centred approaches,” the statement said.

It added that  the urged SP Ikwen to explore innovative strategies for crime prevention by engaging diverse range of stakeholders, organisations, community leaders, educational institutions, youth groups, and partners who have been supporting the vision of the campaign over the years.