The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, has approved the appointment of SP Orvenonne Ikwen as the new National Coordinator of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), the Nigeria Police Force’s flagship non-kinetic initiative aimed at tackling cultism and related social vices through preventive and community-based strategies.
According to a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the appointment is in line with the IGP’s vision of promoting modern, intelligence-led, technology-driven, and community-oriented policing that prioritises early intervention, respect for the rule of law, and stronger public trust.
SP Ikwen, a seasoned police officer and development practitioner, holds a PhD in Computer Science with a specialisation in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science from the University of Calabar. She is also recognised for her contributions to technology-driven policing, strategic communications, and behavioural change initiatives within the Force. The new coordinator is a member of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria (ISMN) and the Institute of Conflict Management & Negotiation Analyst (ICMNA), and has been involved in several police reform programmes, research efforts, and inter-agency collaborations.
In her new role, SP Ikwen is expected to strengthen and broaden POCACOV’s presence across schools, tertiary institutions, communities, and youth groups nationwide. Her mandate includes advancing preventive approaches to issues such as cultism, drug abuse, cybercrime vulnerabilities, gender-based violence, misinformation, and other emerging social concerns.
The IGP encouraged her to deploy innovative community engagement strategies and deepen partnerships with stakeholders, organisations, educational institutions, traditional rulers, youth-led groups, and other supporters of the campaign.
The appointment takes effect immediately.
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