Hunters Warn: Don’t Politicise Guard Recruitment

The Professional Hunters Association and the Nigerian Forest Security Service have warned the federal and state governments against politicising the recruitment process of the newly created National Forest Guard.

They cautioned that allowing politics to dictate recruitment would undermine the entire purpose of the initiative.

According to them, any attempt to fill the ranks with political loyalists instead of competent and dedicated individuals would render the entire scheme ineffective.

To curb escalating insecurity across Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu last week approved the establishment of a national forest guard system and ordered the recruitment of over 130,000 armed operatives to secure the country’s 1,129 forest reserves.

The initiative, which was approved during the expanded Federal Executive Council meeting, mandated each state to recruit between 2,000 and 5,000 forest guards based on its capacity.

In a statement on his X handle, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, announced the establishment of the guard.

Dare said the recruitment and training would be supervised by the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Ministry of Environment.

In separate interviews with members of the press, senior security officials reportedly expressed deep concern over the potential politicization of the recruitment process for the newly launched National Forest Guard. They warned that any such political interference could significantly undermine the initiative’s credibility and operational effectiveness.

Joshua Osatimehin, identified as the Commandant General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), emphasized that the forest guard initiative must remain insulated from political influence in order to fulfil its mandate of addressing the growing threats of kidnapping, banditry, and insurgency in Nigeria’s forested areas.

He was said to have commended President Bola Tinubu for introducing the scheme, describing it as a “critical intervention” to close long-standing gaps in national security. Osatimehin reportedly stated that Nigerians had endured significant suffering at the hands of kidnappers, bandits, and insurgents operating from remote forest hideouts, and that the forest guards represented a long-overdue measure to combat these challenges. He noted that their deployment could significantly strengthen security efforts.

However, Osatimehin cautioned that the scheme’s success would depend heavily on the integrity of its recruitment process. He was quoted as saying that achieving the initiative’s security objectives would require individuals with “unquestionable character and proven dedication,” and warned that any hijacking of the process by political interests would risk rendering the entire effort ineffective from the outset.

He reportedly urged both federal and state authorities to adopt transparent and merit-based recruitment practices, insisting on strict adherence to due process and established standards.

Danladi Perry, the National Secretary of the Professional Hunters Association of Nigeria (PHAN), also echoed Osatimehin’s concerns. Perry warned that political favoritism would erode the scheme’s legitimacy and efficiency. He reportedly stated that the initiative needed skilled, courageous, and mission-driven individuals, not political appointees who might lack the competence and dedication required to secure the nation’s forests.

Both officials reiterated their support for the forest guard scheme but maintained that a professional, non-partisan recruitment process was essential for the initiative to effectively address the country’s pressing security challenges.

Africa Today News, New York