Jibrin Barau pushes for swift passage of NFSS bill to end forest insecurity

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to expediting the passage of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) Bill, emphasizing its urgency in addressing insecurity across the country.

Jibrin made this known during a visit from the NFSS Commander-General, Dr. Joshua Osatimehin, and other senior officers in Abuja. He stressed the critical role the NFSS plays in tackling banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping—crimes often orchestrated from within Nigeria’s forests.

Commending the service under Osatimehin’s leadership, Jibrin highlighted its contributions to national security efforts and underscored the importance of formalizing its operations through legislation.

“The contributions you are making in the fight against banditry, kidnapping, and related crimes have helped the country a lot,” he stated. “It is, therefore, easy to understand that signing the Nigeria Forest Security Service Bill into law will enable you to do more.”

According to Jibrin, once enacted, the NFSS law will empower the agency to work alongside other security bodies, including the military, police, and intelligence agencies, to curb criminal activities in Nigeria’s forests. He further assured that the Senate would prioritize the bill before its recess.

Earlier, Osatimehin explained that the visit was aimed at updating the deputy senate president on the importance of passing the bill into law. He noted that NFSS operatives have been actively complementing existing security forces through intelligence gathering and suspect apprehensions.

He further disclosed that the NFSS has already set up command centers in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with thousands of officers deployed. Enacting the NFSS bill, he added, would enhance the morale of personnel and strengthen their operational capacity.

Deputy Commander-General for Intelligence, Ambassador John Metchie, also lauded Jibrin’s support for the bill. He urged the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders to collaborate in ensuring President Bola Tinubu signs it into law, stressing its significance in securing Nigeria’s forests and ungoverned spaces.