* To tackle kidnapping, banditry, armed herders
The Tinubu Administration has been applauded for deploying over 130,000 new National Forest Guards nationwide to weed out the hardened kidnappers, arms carrying herdsmen and other criminals tormenting innocent Nigerians.
The new heavily armed operatives are expected to man the Federal Government’s 1,129 Forests Reserves across Nigeria.
The Federal Government mandates each of the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital City to recruit between 2,000 and 5,000 Forest Guards, based on their capacity for the purpose of manning forests within their jurisdictions, according to a government spokesman.
In a Press Statement issued in Lagos yesterday, Renowned Socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri lauded the government for listening to the yearnings of the people and rising to the occasion.
According to Onitiri, the kidnappers, terrorists, bandits and armed herdsmen have taken over all the forests nationwide, where they committed all forms of criminalities that needed drastic actions by the government.
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But he cautioned that the project must be properly funded and forests Guards adequately renumerated by the Federal Government in order not to give room for failure and manipulation.
This he explained, was necessary in view of the sophisticated weapons at the command of these criminals.
The social critic pointed out that the new armed operatives must work together and in synergy with other security forces to achieve the country’s desired goal.
Onitiri also called for the total review of salaries and remuneration of the Nigeria Police Force and other security men, in order to boost their Morales.
The various chiefs and kings in the states where the marauders operate should be considered as critical stakeholders in the security architecture, the Socio-political activist advised. Onitiri urged those behind the insecurity to repent adding: “We have no other country we can call our own. Certainly, we cannot afford a failed state.”
