NSCDC To Strengthen Synergy With NFSS In Protecting Critical Infrastructure

To further enhance effective protection of national assets and infrastructure spread across the country’s forests, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has called for the integration of Nigeria Forest Security Service, NFSS, into the nation’s security apparatus.

The Commander General of NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Audi made the call in Abuja during a one National Security Summit organized by the Nigeria Forest Security Service, NFSS.

The theme of the Summit is “Collaborating With Constituted Authority in Curbing Forest Related Crimes in Nigeria.”

Today, Nigeria has vast forested area covering about ten million actres ungoverned and unprotected with a total of 1129 forest reserves.

This, therefore, informed the National security summit to further broaden the knowledge of officers and men of the Nigeria Forest Security Service on intelligence gathering towards combating crimes in the nation’s forested region.

Addressing the participants, the Commander General of NSCDC, Prof Ahmed Audi, said integrating NFSS into Nigeria’s security apparatus would reduce the vandalism off critical infrastructures located in the forests.

Represented by an Assistant Commander General in charge of Angro Ranger, ACP Ogar Besong, the Commander General, said the Corps would continue to collaborate with NFSS towards achieving its mandate.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Nigeria Drug Law enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa noted that the coming on board of NFSS would equally reduce drug related crimes being perpetrated in the forests.

Brigadier General Buba Marwa who was represented by the Deputy Director, Intelligence in NDLEA, Mr Sunday Zirange commended NFSS for its efforts in combating insecurity in the country’s forests over the years.

Earlier, the Commander General of Nigeria Forest Security Service, Dr Joshua Osatimehin, said the security summit would go a long way in enhancing the capacity of his officers and men nationwide

Dr. Joshua Osatimehin promised that NFSS would not relent in its support and collaboration with formal security agencies towards combating crimes in Nigeria’s forested region.

Highpoint of the one day national security summit was the decorations of Head of Intelligence and Operations of NFSS in the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.

Mathew Ayoola, Edited By Grace Namiji