NFSS Hosts 2025 National Workshop, Reaffirms Commitment to Reclaim Nigerian Forests From Criminal Elements

By our Correspondent

The Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS) has reiterated its determination to reclaim the nation’s forests from bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, and other criminal groups.

The Commander General of the NFSS, Dr. Joshua Osatimehin, made this declaration during a four-day National Workshop organized for Officers and Men of the Service—particularly those in the Operations and Intelligence Departments—at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Dr. Osatimehin explained that the workshop aimed to further sensitize participants on operations and local intelligence gathering to complement the efforts of formal security agencies in securing Nigeria’s forests.

According to him, more than three thousand officers from the Operations and Intelligence Departments attended the workshop, which featured paper presentations and lectures delivered by experts from the Military, DSS, Police, NSCDC, NDLEA, Immigration, Customs, and officials from the Federal Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, as well as other key stakeholders in the nation’s security architecture.

“The main essence of this workshop is to strengthen our synergy with constituted authorities. Over the four-day training, the DSS taught us techniques for gathering local intelligence within forest corridors, the Nigeria Police trained us on joint operations, and the Military guided us on collaborative strategies to flush out criminals from our forests nationwide,” he stated.

He added: “We, the Officers and Men of the NFSS, must give our best to support President Bola Tinubu. His establishment of the Nigerian Forest Security Service shows the level of trust citizens place in us, and we must not betray the confidence reposed in us. This is why this national workshop is crucial.”

Dr. Osatimehin further declared that the NFSS is fully prepared to confront criminal groups hiding in the forests.

“We are using this opportunity to tell bandits, kidnappers, Boko Haram elements, terrorists, and other criminals that enough is enough. NFSS is battle ready to flush them out and reclaim our forests. We have the manpower and structure to deliver, with Officers and Men in all 36 states, the FCT, and the 774 Local Government Areas,” he stressed.

The Commander General also appealed to President Tinubu to ensure full integration of the NFSS into Nigeria’s security system to enable the Service to take the battle directly into the forests.

“Nigeria has 1,129 forest reserves, 29 game reserves, 17 national parks, and 417 grazing reserves. We have mapped out their interconnectivity because this is our domain—we are professionals, products of local hunters and forest experts. With proper integration into the nation’s security architecture, we can use our knowledge of the terrain to deliver on our mandate. Nigeria expects much from us, and we are ready,” he said.

Two participants, Mr. Sunny Akpa and Mr. A. A. Ibrahim, noted that the four-day workshop would significantly enhance their ability to combat forest-related crimes in their respective states. They commended Dr. Osatimehin for his visionary leadership and for prioritizing continuous training. They also called on State and Local Governments to support NFSS programmes in the collective fight against insecurity.

Highpoints of the workshop included the presentation of an Award of Excellence to Dr. Osatimehin by the Lion Female Squad of the NFSS and the CG Football Cup competition among state commands, with the FCT Command emerging as the overall winner.