Hunters and farmers have urged the Federal Government to officially authorize them to eliminate bandits, Boko Haram militants, and other criminal elements taking refuge in forests.
Hunters appeal to President Tinubu to sign a bill that acknowledges them as a paramilitary organization.
The organizations, among them the Nigerian Forest Security Service, Professional Hunters Association of Nigeria, Agbekoya Farmers’ Society of Nigeria, and the Oodua Peoples Congress, affirmed that they have the spiritual capability, expertise, training, and presence within forests necessary to fight against terrorists.
The Commandant General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, Joshua Osatimehin, emphasized the importance of securing the forests, stating that neglecting to do so would remain a significant threat to national security.
“We understand the forests; some of our operatives live there, but we cannot just attack the marauders without the government’s backing so that we will not be charged with genocide and other forms of illegal operations.
“As soon as the government decides to give us the necessary backup, this will give us the confidence to deploy all our arsenals – physically, spiritually, and otherwise to dislodge these people (bandits and kidnappers) because those causing this insecurity are few compared to Nigeria’s population. We can defeat them with the necessary backup and support from the government.
“If we have the logistics support and the security infrastructure at least at our level to man our forest points, these killings will drastically reduce.
“But our operatives work in these forests; we farm and hunt in these forests. This will make it easier to form a first line of defence before the military or the police can come in,” he said.
Danladi Perry, the National Secretary of the Professional Hunters Association of Nigeria, emphasized the critical necessity for enhanced patrols and monitoring, particularly along the well-known forest paths frequently used by attackers.
He said, “The spate of killings in Benue, Plateau and other northern states would have been prevented if the Federal Government had engaged professional hunters, forest guards and local vigilantes to man our forests, because most of the attackers’ route is the bush. We need to intensify patrols and surveillance. Of course, we are brave and ready for the task. We need support to facilitate and improve patrols. Also, the bushes around us should be checked regularly.”
Alhaji Muhammad Ahmed, the Commander of Patrol and Guards for the Nigeria Forest Security Service in the North-Central region, expressed the view that the country’s security problems could be resolved if President Tinubu approves the bill currently awaiting his signature.
He said, “It (insecurity) will be obliterated because the real hunters know the terrain where the terrorists operate in the forests and they have been encountering the terrorists in the forests.
“We are appealing to the President to sign the bill legalising our operations into law so that we can play our role in tackling security challenges. Because the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service has a lot to offer.”