Ebonyi State Govt Recruits, Trains 2600 Youths Into NHFSS

As part of measures to safeguard the forests and combat crime, the Ebonyi State Government has recruited and trained two thousand six hundred youths into the Nigeria Hunter and Forest Security Service, NHFSS.

Speaking during the grand finale of the two weeks in-house capacity building for the newly recruited youths in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru said the move was to further protect lives and property of people of the State most especially in rural areas surrounded by forests.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Uchenna Igwe Stephen said the beneficiaries were recruited for the thirteen Local Government Areas of the State.

He stated that the move would go a long way in safeguarding the ungoverned spaces within and around Ebonyi State towards restoring the confidence of people of the State on effective security.

According to him, the recruitment is also part of strategies to create jobs and empower youths in the State.

The Governor who commended the activities and cooperation of the Nigeria Hunter and Forest Security Service in the State said his administration would continue to partner the Service in the fight against insecurity in the forest.

In a remark, a Member of House of Representatives from Ebonyi State, Chinedu Ogah stressed the need for constitutional recognition of NHFSS towards combating kidnapping, banditry, boko haram and terrorism and other forms of crimes in the forests across the country.

He therefore pledged continuous legislative support to the State Government in the area of security and good governance.

Earlier, the Commander General of the Nigeria Hunter and Forest Security Service, NHFSS, Ambassador Dr. Joshua Oluwole Osatimehin said Ebonyi State Government is the first in the South East and number four in Nigeria to recruit and trai youths into NHFSS activities of safeguarding Nigerian forest.

“I really appreciate His Excellency, Governor Nwifuru for his proactiveness to curb forest crimes in Ebonyi State and its environs, he stated.”

In his words “the State Government and our Command there have been having harmonious relationship and even by extension to the formal security agencies like the Police, DSS, Civil Defence and other constituted authorities because during this training, officers of the Nigeria Police Force were there to offer us their words of experience and expertise and this has enabled us to really benefit from this collaboration and the State Governor has equally demonstrated that he’s a peace loving Governor and we really appreciate his kind gesture extended to NHFSS, Ambassador Dr Osatimehin stressed.”

He therefore advised the newly recruited NHFSS Officers to shun acts detrimental to the objectives of NHFSS and contribute their quota to improving internal security in the State.

“This is a golden opportunity for them to be more focused more professional and disciplined because the level of responsibilities that the Governor has shouldered on them should be reciprocated because security is everybody’s business and they should endeavour to work with constituted authorities for the purpose of defeating insecurity and criminality within and outside Ebonyi State, he added.

Mathew Ayoola, Edited By Grace Namiji