The Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Abbas, has disclosed that the Federal Government of Nigeria is taking decisive measures to address the presence of criminals in various Nigerian forests. The announcement was made during the Ministry’s top management retreat in Kaduna State, according to DailyPost.
Abbas emphasized the urgent need to confront the escalating threat posed by bandits, kidnappers, and other terrorists who have taken control of forested areas across the country. The retreat, themed ‘Policy Embedment and Prioritization of Key Action for a Renewed Hope in Environmental Management,’ provided a platform for expressing concerns over forests turning into safe havens for criminal activities, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and property.
Expressing shared concern, Abbas noted that President Bola Tinubu is committed to finding a solution to this issue. He lamented the unfortunate situation where forests have become breeding grounds for criminal elements and highlighted the imminent establishment of specialized security forces to reinforce security in these vital natural spaces.
“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 so as to remedy the ugly trend.”