We want to represent all the forces’ functions within the forested regions; we will be the police in the forests, NDLEA in the forests, immigration in the forests, because we will be their eyes
By Moses Okorie
The Commandant General, Nigeria Hunter and Forest Security Services, NHFSS, Joshua Wole Osatimehin, has lamented the poor security management of forest, saying Nigeria has the least policed forest in the world with just 2.5 percent against the minimum requirement of 25 percent.
Speaking last weekend, at the promotion exercise organized by the FCT Command of the agency, Osatimehin, Nigeria has a vast land covered with forest almost 10,000,000 acres unprotected and uncovered.
“Nigeria has 12 security agencies including the military; all together nobody is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the country from forest criminality.
“That is the only missing link in national security architecture. And in addition, each country’s forest must have minimum of 25 percent security coverage. Nigeria is the least policed forest across the world with just 2.3 percent. So, we have a lot to cover”.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to accent to the bill earlier passed by the two houses of the National Assembly, which proposes the establishment of Nigeria Forest Security Services to complement efforts of other sister agencies especially in forest security.
“If these forest security officers are been empowered by Mr. President, the bill that has been unanimously passed by the two houses of the National Assembly is accented to, it would enhance capacity of the boys to take fight to criminals within the forests, and they would act as local intelligence officers to the constituted authorities.
“We want to represent all the forces’ functions within the forested regions; we will be the police in the forests, NDLEA in the forests, immigration in the forests, because we will be their eyes; gathering local intelligence to give them on teleguided movement of criminals within the forests”, Osatimehin assured.
On the name change, the commander said, “Let me use this opportunity to appreciate members of the National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio who has taken cognizance of our forest security as one of the cardinal points of this administration.
“The bill was adopted by 9th Assembly as Community Hunter before it metamorphosed into Hunters Group of Nigeria, then to Nigeria Hunter Council, later to Nigeria Hunter and Forest Security Services, but because of our mandate, ‘Hunter’ has to be expunged, leaving it as Nigeria Forest Security Services for the purpose of gathering local intelligence to the constituted authority, which I believe is the only missing link.
On his part, the commander of the NFSS in the FCT, Bawa Kyauta said the essence of the event is to appreciate officers who have served at various area councils to ensure security within the forest and they needed to be elevated to the next levels.
“We have done a lot in all the six area councils, Hunters have done greatly. In FCT, police cannot go into the forest without our men, because we know the forest. In Bwari Area Council, we have some incidences of criminal activities, when the mother security agencies call on us, we have always given our support.
Speaking further, Assistant Commander General in-charge of Forest Surveillance, Dr. Simon Joseph, who happened to the pioneer FCT commander of the agency, the event was to restructure the FCT command from the grassroot to the state levels, and to promote hardworking officers.
In speaking to newsmen, FCT Assistant Commandant, Rhoda Bitrus, “We go along with our men to secure the forest in our community, and so I call on women to join in the fight by getting enrolled in this agency.
She said, the system and the training she received has made her to be gallant like a man and that women are more determined than their men counterparts, so women should come on board.