Insecurity In Anambra: NFSS To The Rescue

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

As conventional security outfits appear to be overwhelmed by the spate of violence and organized criminal activities ravaging most parts of Anambra State, the Nigerian Forest Security Service NFSS, has offered to assist in rescuing the State.

The NFSS said it is ready to work in concert with other security agencies and the Anambra State authorities in ridding the State’s forests of criminal elements and unknown gunmen.

The Source reports that over 90 per cent of the violent attacks, abductions and other security breaches in the State are masterminded by hoodlums who have made the State’s forest reserves their operational camps.

Anambra State in the last few months has virtually been held hostage by sundry criminal elements through uncountable violent attacks, kidnappings, wanton destructions and mindless orgy of killings.

But in a statement on Thursday, January 2, 2025, the Anambra State Commander of NFSS, Destiny Jonas, informed that the outfit is ready to take the battle to the criminals’ den by combing all the nooks and crannies of forests in the State.

According to him, NFSS has the capacity to smoke out kidnappers, hoodlums and other criminal elements from the forests where they are largely encamped

Referencing the recent orgy of security challenges such as the abduction of an Anglican Archbishop, the killing of a Catholic Clergy, the kidnapping of a member of the State House of Assembly, and the  gruesome killing of about eight mourners in Ihiala ,on December, 30, 2024, Jonas warned that Anambra is in dire need of intervention in the area of its security  architecture.

To this end, he emphasized the imperativeness of collaborative efforts among the State Government, conventional security outfits, and the NFSS in halting the unmitigated security challenges facing the State.

The NFSS Commander noted that the outfit is ready to avail its expertise in forest related operations with a view to flushing out suspected terrorists and hoodlums inhabiting the vast Anambra forest reserves.

“NFSS is ready to support Operation” Udo Ga Di Na Anambra and collaborate with other security agencies to secure the hinterlands” Jonas stated

While expressing deep concern over investors and other developmental partners shunning Anambra on account of the sorry state of security, the NFSS also underscored the need for Government’s recognition of its potentials in the onerous task of halting the ongoing security slides.

He called for synergy and dialogue with the State authorities to upscale efforts at reclaiming the forests from criminal elements.

Pending Government’s nod, Commander Jonas informed that NFSS has  already produced a framework detailing identified flashpoints across bushes and forests in the state ,as well as the conducts of clearance operations.

He  further stated that NFSS is set to launch its operations in Anambra in 2025once it is green-lighted by the authorities.