DEFENDER’s Abirhire Thomas appointed police anti-cultism campaign, POCACOV, national sports director
*Activities towards POCACOV Official Launch in Rivers State begin today
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
“On behalf of the Nigeria Police Force, I am pleased to convey to you your appointment as the National Director of Sports for the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV),” the letter stated, adding that the new sports director will be required to play a vital role in promoting sports as a tool for social change and youth development, among others responsibilities clearly stated in the letter POCACOV.
A correspondent of The DEFENDER Newspaper, Thomas Abirhire, has been appointed by the Nigeria Police Force as the National Director of Sports for the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) scheduled to hold in Rivers State July 15, 2026.
His letter of appointment, dated 18th March 2026 and copied to the Inspector General of Police and Force Public Relations Officer, was signed by Oluwaseyi Olabisi Okuwobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), as National Coordinator of POCACOV at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. ACP has since been redeployed as Assistant Director Cyber Crime Department of the Nigeria Police Force Abuja.
“On behalf of the Nigeria Police Force, I am pleased to convey to you your appointment as the National Director of Sports for the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV),” the letter stated, adding that the new sports director will be required to play a vital role in promoting sports as a tool for social change and youth development, among others responsibilities clearly stated in the letter POCACOV.
In the meantime, a document sighted by The DEFENDER, shows that POCACOV will hold its official launch in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital beginning from Monday July 13, 2026.
According to the document, outline of activities for the event, with the theme: “Dangers of Cultism, Other Vices and Their Adverse Effects on Society” and which will be officially launched on Wednesday July 15, 2026, shows that the campaign will take off with some pre-launch activities including arrival of POCACOV national coordinator and his other officials including the recently appointed national sports director as and delegates.
The arrival in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday July 13, 2026 will be followed with the new POCACOV national coordinator, SP Onne Ikwen, PhD, leading courtesy calls on the palaces of Eze Gbakpakpa in Woji and King Michael Ateke Tom in Okrika, after which a get-together with the national coordinator and POCACOV Volunteer Club members will hold at the Officers’ Mess, Old GRA in the state capital.
On Tuesday July 14, 2026, school engagement will be held at Cornerstone Secondary School, Moscow in Port Harcourt with the Inspector General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu as chief host accompanied by the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adewale Adepoju, POCACOV’s National Coordinator, SP Onne Ikwen, PhD, accompanied by his team and its volunteer club members.
After the school engagement, there will be a facility visit to the Youth Rescue International Development Centre, Oginigba, Trans-Amadi Road, Port Harcourt which will be followed immediately with a media advocacy and sensitization activity involving that the national coordinator will pay interactive visits to media houses in the state using it to round up the day’s activities.
The DEFENDER report that the main event that is the official launch of POCACOV will be on Wednesday July 15, 2026 at the Police Officers’ Mess, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.
It will be recalled that Thomas Abirhire, who is Delta State correspondent of The DEFENDER Newspaper, is also a crime and sports writer covering the last African Cup of Nation (AFCON 2025) as The DEFENDER media representative in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
