The African Director of the International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA), Dr. John Metchie, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sign the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) Bill into law, following the recent attacks on some communities in Plateau State that left over 200 people dead.
The NHFSS Bill, which was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly in April 2023, seeks to establish a federal security service that would deploy professional hunters and forest guards to combat crimes and criminalities in the country’s forests and ungoverned spaces.
Metchie, who is also the Deputy Commander General of NHFSS in charge of Technical Services, said the bill would empower and embolden the officers and men of the service to work with the police, army, and other security agencies in intelligence gathering, prevention, and apprehension of criminals.
He said the NHFSS had already been working with some state governors and security operatives to curb the menace of banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and ritual killing in various parts of the country, but needed the legal backing of the president to operate effectively.
He appealed to President Tinubu to consider the bill as an urgent matter of national security and give his assent as soon as possible.
He also commended the president, the army, the police, and other security agencies for their response and control of the situation in Plateau and other affected areas, but stressed the need for a permanent solution to ensure that criminals like bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, and others are denied access to forests and farms where they hide before and after carrying out their nefarious activities.
He said the effect of insecurity was the primary cause of investor flight with serious consequences on the nation’s economy.
He noted that the solution to banditry and other crimes and criminalities committed within forests was the permanent deployment of well-trained professional hunters and forest security operatives across the country.
According to him, “My first reaction to the Christmas Eve killing in some communities in Plateau State is to condemn the act, not only as a Nigerian and for our collective humanity, but as someone who was directly affected.
“This is because Plateau is my second home. My family has a long history with Plateau and especially Jos where I grew up. As I speak with you, I have a home in Jos and my wife is from the state. So, you can imagine how directly affected I am.
“As the African Director, IAWPA, I have been working round the clock, alongside regional and national leaders of the global body, preaching peace and a violence-free world across Africa and Nigeria in particular. Therefore, an act of violence in any form is an affront to our vision of a crime-free world.
“Having said that, I wish to once again, urge our President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, to give assent to the NHFSS Bill so that it can become law.
“Already, with the support and endorsement of some state governors, NHFSS operatives are working with the Police, Army, DSS, and other security agencies in the war against crimes and criminalities, especially in terms of intelligence gathering and distribution. NHFSS officials have been playing pivotal roles in the apprehension of criminals and the prevention of crimes.
“What is needed now, and urgently too, is for the President to assent to the Bill so that NHFSS operatives would have the boldness to discharge their duties without fear or favor as this would go a long way in curbing incidences of terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, banditry, ritual killing and other similar crimes in the country.”
He expressed optimism that the NHFSS Bill would receive presidential assent and that the service would contribute to the restoration of peace and security in the country.
He also urged Nigerians to support the president’s vision and mission for national security and to cooperate with the security agencies in the fight against crime.
He said the IAWPA would continue to advocate for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence among Nigerians and Africans, regardless of their ethnic, religious, or political differences.
Source: The Nation
