“This is an issue that is of much concern to President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government will soon set up enough forces to beef up security in the forests.
The Nigerian government has stated that it would soon set up enough forces to beef up security, saying terrorists locally dubbed as bandits and other criminals had taken over most of the country’s forests.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas, made this known while speaking on Thursday at the ministry’s top management retreat in Kaduna, noting that the government was liaising with the military, SSS, police, and other security agencies to remedy the trend.
He said, “It is quite unfortunate that most of our forests have been taken over by bandits, kidnappers and other terrorists that have been unleashing mayhem on innocent Nigerians.
“This is an issue that is of much concern to President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government will soon set up enough forces to beef up security in the forests.
“We are liaising with the military, DSS, Police and other security agencies in this direction to remedy the ugly trend.”
Abbas also said efforts were being intensified by the government to clear the forests of porchers, illegal loggers and other sundry criminals and make life miserable for them in the forests.
According to the minister, the various tree species in the country must be adequately protected, while the government is also doing everything humanly possible to address all environmental challenges.
Abbas said the government was considering introducing coastal guards to boost security in Nigeria’s coastal waters.
“We will also look at other issues like perennial flooding, coastal and gully erosion and other related environmental challenges plaguing parts of Nigeria,” the minister said.