Police target cultism, political thuggery in UNICAL

The Cross River State Police Command has moved to tackle cultism, political thuggery and other youth-related vices at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, disclosed this yesterday when the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Offiong Offiong, and his management team paid him a visit in his office in Calabar.

Ordue said the command would establish a Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) unit in the university to serve as a platform for sensitisation and engagement with students.

He said the initiative would focus on cultism, violence, drug abuse and other social vices capable of threatening the safety and well-being of students and other young people on campus.

The commissioner also called for increased engagement with youths ahead of the forthcoming elections, particularly to discourage political thuggery, digital thuggery, online incitement and other forms of youth-driven violence.

He said the command would strengthen community policing through partnership, prevention and intelligence-led engagement, adding that educational institutions remained critical partners in preventing crime.

Ordue stressed the need for proactive policing and early intervention to identify and address emerging security threats before they escalate, while assuring the university management of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and maintaining peace.

The commissioner said the police would continue to build strategic partnerships with the university and other stakeholders to enhance public safety and promote responsible citizenship among youths.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Offiong Offiong, expressed the university’s readiness to sustain and deepen its partnership with the police command throughout his tenure, particularly in safeguarding the university community and ensuring a peaceful academic environment.