By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) says it has trained more than 24,000 new officers nationwide as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen forest security.

The Commander General of NFSS, Dr Joshua Osatimehin, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, during the closing of a five-day National Capacity-Building Workshop held simultaneously across six geo-political zones of the country.

Osatimehin said the training was the second quarterly exercise in the year, adding that it was also to improve local intelligence gathering in support of national security operations.

He explained that exercise focused on refresher courses, inter-agency collaboration, and intelligence gathering, particularly in forested regions prone to criminal activities.

?This year?s second quarter training has been a huge success. We have trained more than 24,000 new recruits across the federation.

?These men have been screened by the police, Department of State Service (DSS), and traditional institutions before undergoing compulsory refresher courses conducted by various security agencies,? he said.

The NFSS commander general also said that the training took place concurrently in key locations within the zones.

He added that the workshop showcased the agency?s collaboration with constitutional authorities and law enforcement agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the military.

?Security agencies came at different times to lecture our officers on actionable intelligence, inter-agency cooperation, and prompt communication with law enforcement to tackle forest-based criminal threats,? he said.

He revealed that 6,836 operatives were trained in FCT, 4,122 in Plateau, 6,856 in Gombe, and more than 9,000 in the South East.

On legislative backing for the service, Osatimehin appealed to President Bola Tinubu to sign the NFSS Establishment Bill into law, following its passage by both chambers of the National Assembly.

?We are using this opportunity to appeal to His Excellency, the President, to assent to the bill establishing the NFSS.

?This will formalise our operations and give our officers the confidence and legal backing to operate decisively against criminals within Nigeria?s forests,? he said.

He urged newly recruited officers to serve with courage and integrity, stressing that Nigeria needed heroes who would rise to the challenge of protecting forest resources and communities.

?Nigerians need heroes, and these officers must wear their uniforms with pride and honour,? Osatimehin added.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commander-General (Intelligence), Dr John Metchie, says Nigerians should expect improvement in security, adding that NFSS is committed to tackling crimes in the forests.

Metchie appealed for continuous support from the citizens to the service in the fight against insecurity. (NAN)

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