President Bola Tinubu has approved the use of firearms for Forest Guards to secure ungoverned forest areas used by bandits and terrorists.
The president issued the directive to the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday.
The President asked the NSA to seriously consider the role of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and explore arming Forest Guards to secure vast forest.
“And civil defence are equally armed and I want to know that from NSA to arm our forest guards too, take it very seriously,” he said.
The President also mandated the NSA and DSS to collaborate, “provide further information and form themselves into a committee,” to thoroughly review and implement the directive without delay.
“So that you don’t leave people exposed, NSA and DSS to provide further information and form themselves the committee and review the instruction,” he said.
Tinubu stressed the need to utilize all available forces to combat insecurity.
“We face challenges of kidnapping and terrorism, we need all the forces that we can utilise. I know some of our people are exposed and I understand that we have to make exceptional provision for them,” he said.