The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ending insecurity, declaring that terrorists and other criminal elements will no longer find refuge in Nigeria’s forests.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the assurance on Monday in Abuja during an end-of-year press briefing, where he outlined the government’s security priorities and ongoing efforts to combat violent crime across the country.
Idris disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has declared a nationwide security emergency, a move that will drive large-scale recruitment into the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force in the coming months. He added that the strategy also includes the deployment of specially trained and equipped forest guards to secure forests and other vulnerable areas.
According to the minister, ungoverned forest zones have in the past provided cover for terrorists and bandits to operate with little resistance. He stressed that the new security measures are designed to eliminate such safe havens.
“With the level of recruitment and the president’s decisive action, there will be no hiding place for terrorists and criminals in our forests,” Idris said.
The government’s renewed stance comes amid ongoing efforts to strengthen internal security and restore safety across affected regions.