*Photo:SP Orvenonne Ikwen*
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) – 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.
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 continent calls — and we answer.
I’m honoured to have been selected by the Transitional Justice Unit of the African Union to work, alongside David Kabwa (South Africa) and Puseletso Agnes Mpeisa (Kingdom of Lesotho), on the Continental Agenda Draft Policy Brief on Youth and Reparations in Africa.
This important assignment follows the just-concluded Continental Policy Dialogue on Youth and Reparations in Transitional Justice, held from 20–21 November 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.
To my fellow African Youth for Transitional Justice (AY4TJ) members: our collective voice is not just being heard, it is shaping continental policy.
The responsibility we carry is significant, and so is the opportunity.
Let’s continue to engage, collaborate, and push for meaningful pathways to justice, healing, and dignity for all young Africans affected by conflict and harm.
Looking forward to contributing meaningfully to a future where African youth are fully recognised as central actors in reparation and justice processes across the continent.