The Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS) has declared that it is ready to partner and collaborate with the government of Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to comb all the forests in Anambra State, where killers and kidnappers of innocent citizens have their camps and territories.
This is coming weeks after the kidnap of an Anambra lawmaker and the abduction of an Anglican clergy, including the killing of a Catholic priest, as well as the most recent brutal massacre of eight persons in Chigbonu village Umuike Ubahuekwem Ihiala on 30th December 2024 by daredevil gunmen, as well as other heinous crimes being perpetrated across Ànambra State.
The Anambra commander of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), Destiny Jonas, who spoke about the exploits of the organization, said that NFSS is ever willing and ready to offer its expertise in securing the forests and bushes both for economic reasons and security purposes, adding that their operations are mostly in the forests and bushes because they know the terrain very well.
The NFSS state commander noted that NFSS would be most obliged to join forces with other security agencies to ensure the success of the state government’s Operation Udo Ga Di Na Anambra Security Initiative, which is intended to rid the hinterlands of criminal elements unleashing terror and mayhem on the people.
He said that the NFSS can gather intelligence to demobilise any kind of force in the forest. All that is needed is a collaboration between government agencies and the government itself, including recognition of the Nigerian Forest Security Service.
The security expert maintained that NFSS officers are ready to rescue Anambra forests from unknown gunmen and other criminal elements, but the need for recognition and roundtable discussions is paramount.
He was worried that investors were fleeing Anambra State to invest in other states because of insecurity.
Although he pointed out that officers and men of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS) assisted the Police and other security agents to ensure the safety of those who returned to Anambra State for the festive season, he still emphasised that a lot more needs to be done to redeem Anambra forests from the daredevil gunmen and other criminal minds.
He stated that impassible remote areas like Achala, Igbariam, Nsugbe and others were hitch-free because men of the NFSS were stationed there. He also disclosed that NFSS has identified some flashpoints (bushes) across Ànambra State, where it will declare total war on criminal camps from January 2025.
He said all that is required now is permission from the authorities to enable them to launch massive operations in the identified black spots, even as he stated that some kidnapped victims were rescued by the operatives of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS) this yuletide season.
The Anambra State NFSS commander expressed profound gratitude to the Deputy Commander-General (Intelligence) of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), Amb. Dr John Metchie, for his enormous support of the service, and described him as an enigma.
He said Dr John Metchie is not only interested in the security and safety of Anambra citizens but also in protecting the lives and property of Nigerians across the federation. He added that if there were more John Metchies in Anambra State, the state would definitely turn around for good.
He extolled the efforts and giant strides of the commander-general of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), Amb. Dr. Joshua Osatimehin, in ensuring unity of purpose and cohesion in the service.
