Amah A. Amaonye, Abuja
PRESS STATEMENT DATE: 15TH JANUARY, 2025
Curbing Insecurity in Nigeria: Establish Forest Guard, As Solution to Gaps Identified by Chief of Defense Staff – Experts Urge President Tinubu
Assenting to the Bill to establish Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS), also known as Forest Guard has been seen as a clear panacea to the challenges in the fight against terrorism, banditry and insurgency in Nigeria as raised by General Christopher Gwabin Musa, the 18th Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In a recent interview on national television, the experienced Army General, who exuded total determination and clear confidence to succeed, marshalled out strategies and some of the milestones that have been achieved in the fight. He also affirmed the need for all round collaboration involving kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to achieved target goals.
General Musa, whose commitment and dedication to getting Nigeria out of the present quagmires of insecurity is unwavering, stressed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are increasingly building capacity to confront the present insecurity, which doesn’t just require new strategies, but also dynamic planning.
It was encouraging that the Chief disclosed that the Armed Forces are enhancing capacity in technology and equipment to outwit the forces of terror in Nigeria. The Chief of Defense Staff, however pointed out that the Armed Forces are having a major challenge militating against the progress the Forces are making.
This, according to him, has to do with the huge ungoverned territories within the country. The CDS stated that: “Understand that Nigeria is over 9000 square km. It is massive, with a lot of ungoverned areas and a lot of forest that cut across the regions.
“Most of these forests that you see cross from Sambisa down to Niger…,” said the Army Chief.
Security experts and analysts, who spoke to African Writers Centre, AWC are commonly of the view that the transformation of the Nigerian Hunter and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) into Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) through an Act of the Parliament, will give robust impetus to the efforts of the Armed Forces to curb terrorism, insurgency banditry and other crimes.
By disclosing this major challenge of vast ungoverned forested areas within the country, the CDS has exposed a serious gap in the security system, operations and architecture of Nigeria, which is lack of security ownership and occupation of the forested areas of the country by Government Forces.
These forested areas have been taken over by criminal, non-State actors, who have turned the ungoverned areas into breeding grounds and havens to hide and perpetrate uncanny and evil acts against Nigeria and Nigerians.
This must be checked without further delay as investigations have proved that efficient security of the forested areas will, to a very large extent curb these serious insecurity challenges facing Nigeria.
A security expert, Dr. Steve Okwori, while filing questions from newsmen after terrorists attacked and killed about 40 farmers, injured many and also took away others in Borno State recently, called on the President to establish the Nigeria Forest Security Service as a matter of security emergency.
Another concerned Nigerian, while speaking to African Writers Centre, stressed that the Federal Government should empower and engage the special outfit without further delay.
Generally, members of the public have massively welcomed the call for Presidential assent to the Nigeria Forest Security Service Bill, stating that the efforts are worthy of all support.
Quoting the late Nigerian musical icon, Sunny Okosun, a concerned Nigerian affirmed: “Nigeria, it is now or never. We have to win it or lose it forever…” Speaking further, he emphasized that “reclaiming our forests should be a task that must be done hastily.
“It cannot be done without the agency of the Forest Guards, who have what it takes to navigate the forests unlike our regular operatives”, concluded the concerned expert.
It has further been observed that among the members of the NHFSS are former members of the security forces including Police and the Armed Forces, who are not just familiar with the rough terrain, but also have the training and experience to fight crime in the forests.
Expectations are high in most quarters that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would assent to the NFSS Bill to give the Police, NSSDC and the Armed Forces the much need support by guarding forest, providing local intelligence and chasing the criminal elements out of Nigeria’s ungoverned territories.
Amah A. Amah
Director General, African Writers Centre
