The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has ramped up specialized training for an elite squad within the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS), targeting criminal hideouts deep in the country's vast forest reserves.
The initiative, announced today by NSA Nuhu Ribadu, forms a cornerstone of the federal government's "Renewed Hope" agenda to eradicate banditry, kidnapping, and insurgency by reclaiming ungoverned forested spaces.
"This special squad will be the vanguard in flushing out terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements who exploit our forests as safe havens," Ribadu stated in an official release, highlighting the operation's role in restoring lasting peace nationwide.
Nigeria's forests, spanning over 1,129 reserves and covering millions of hectares—have long served as operational bases for high-profile crimes, including the 2024 kidnappings along the Abuja-Kaduna highway and recent militia clashes in the North-Central region.
The NFSS, restructured from the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) in late 2024 following legislative reforms, has already demonstrated success in collaborative efforts with the military, police, and NSCDC, neutralizing dozens of threats in joint patrols.
Under Ribadu's directive, the intensified training program, launched in designated camps across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones focuses on advanced surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid-response tactics.
Recruits, drawn from the ongoing nationwide drive for 130,000 armed forest guards approved by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025, undergo rigorous modules supervised by the NSA's office and the Ministry of Environment.
Key skills include drone-assisted tracking, counter-insurgency maneuvers, and environmental forensics to detect illegal logging tied to terror financing.
"This is not just about recruitment; it's about building a professional force equipped to the highest standards," Ribadu emphasized, noting that the squad will be armed with modern weaponry and integrated into the Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) for seamless operations.
The program builds on a successful August 2025 training cohort of over 24,000 officers, which enhanced forest patrols and led to a 30% drop in reported kidnappings in forested areas, according to NFSS data.
Security experts hail the move as timely amid rising threats. Retired Major General Peter Aro, a vocal advocate for forest security, described it as "a game-changer" that addresses the politicization risks flagged during the NFSS's establishment via presidential assent earlier this year.
"With NSA oversight, we're ensuring merit-based selection and operational autonomy, preventing the forests from remaining no-go zones," Aro told reporters.
The federal-state collaboration, involving governors from high-risk states like Zamfara, Plateau, and Benue, allocates budgets for equipping squads with vehicles, communication gear, and standby generators.
Implementation is jointly led by the NSA and Ministry of Environment, with recruitment targeting youth employment while prioritizing vetted candidates from local hunter communities.
.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com