A former lawmaker representing Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Usman Danjuma Shiddi, has called on governments at all levels to recruit thousands of trained, armed youths into the Forest Guard Service across the country.
Shiddi says Nigeria can only overcome the current security challenges bedevilling the nation if its forests are adequately secured against bandits and other criminal elements.
Speaking in an interview with TVC News, Shiddi acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but stressed that more needs to be done, particularly through increased recruitment into the Forest Guard Service by both state and federal governments.
He explained that large-scale recruitment of indigenous youths from all 774 local government areas to protect their local forests would give security agencies a strategic advantage over criminals and help restore stability nationwide.
Hon. Shiddi had sponsored a bill for the establishment of the Federal Highway Forest Guard Agency during his tenure in the National Assembly.
