The Rivers State chapter of Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Vices (POCACOV) on Friday sensitised students and teachers on the consequences of joining unlawful secret cult and also engaging in drugs and substance abuse.
The sensitisation programme was carried out in Community Secondary School, Rumuolumeni in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, following rising complaints on hard drug and alcohol consumption in schools and its environs.
At the programme involving students from other schools, with the theme: ‘Cultism Drug Abuse and My Academics’, the state coordinator for POCACOV, ASP Captain Ogbuewe stood in for the Rivers State Police Command and the National Coordinator, ACP Olabisi Okuwobi.
While POCACOV ambassador, Patrick Akatakpo, and Engr. Chris Odorgbo highlighted the POCACOV’s mandates to the students and their teachers, the state chairman of the initiative, Ambassador Eke Onwuka, advised the management of the school to always alert POCACOV whenever cultism and drug-related issues are observed.
The students were told that smoking marijuana and sniffing chemicals, as well as taking drugs not prescribed, are all acts of drug abuse which is regarded as crime.
Noting that drug abuse could affect their academic performances, the POCACOV ambassadors urged the students to shun the vice and make their parents and the society proud.
The students were advised to avoid friends indulging in hard drugs taking and report such to teachers and those relevant in curbing the menace among youths.
In response, the school principal and teachers thanked the POCACOV for visiting them, while students promised to shun illicit drug taking and other vices.
They also pledged to be advocates against many ills destroying Nigerian youths.