As Lagos prepares for the upcoming Local Government and Local Council Development Area (LCDA) elections, the Lagos State Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), Dr. Moses Oladimeji, has issued a firm and heartfelt appeal to voters across the state: choose peace, not violence.
POCACOV, a national initiative of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, is coordinated nationwide by Assistant Commissioner of Police Olabisi Okuwobi, and champions a non-kinetic, preventive approach to addressing cultism, youth restiveness, and other societal vices through advocacy, education, and community engagement.
Dr. Moses described the elections as a test of Lagosians’ commitment to democracy and humanity. He warned against the recruitment of youth into cult groups and violent gangs for political gain—a dangerous tactic that has destroyed many lives and disrupted entire communities.
“No vote is worth a single drop of blood,” he said. “We cannot keep watching young men and women—our sons and daughters—turned into weapons of destruction in a process meant to build our future.”
He emphasized that cult-related activities during elections often result in fatal clashes, wasted potentials, and irreversible loss. Beyond the violence, he stressed that many of the young people used to perpetrate these crimes end up neglected, hunted, or killed—while those who used them vanish behind tinted convoys.
Under his leadership, POCACOV Lagos has led school outreaches, media campaigns, community events, and sensitization drives—all aimed at empowering the youth with better alternatives. The organization continues to foster a culture of peace, integrity, and civic responsibility across the state.
Dr. Moses called on community leaders, religious institutions, and educators to rise and reinforce the message: violence is not strength, and peace is not weakness.
He concluded with a clear charge to every voter:
> “Protect your community, protect your conscience. Vote peacefully. Do not become a tool of destruction in someone else’s game.”
POCACOV Lagos stands united with the good people of Lagos in promoting a safe, peaceful, and progressive election for all.
