Dr. John Metchie, the Deputy Commander-General (Intelligence) of the Nigerian Hunter and Forest Security Service (NHFSS), has proposed the conversion of the NHFSS into the Nigeria Forest Guard Services (NFGS) to strengthen the nation’s security.
In an interview with newsmen on Monday in Abuja, Metchie said that transitioning into NFGS would help combat crimes more effectively in ungoverned spaces.
He explained that such a transition would be a powerful solution to tackling kidnapping, banditry, separatism, and other crimes perpetrated in forests, bushes, and similar ungoverned territories.
According to Metchie, the illicit activities of criminals in ungoverned areas are hindering Nigeria’s economic development.
“Every time people are kidnapped and taken into the bushes, the nation suffers losses amounting to billions of naira, as well as reduced Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) due to the negative image created by insecurity,” he stated.
Metchie also noted that insecurity has led to the departure of many companies from the country, although he commended the Federal Government for intensifying efforts to combat the issue.
Addressing remarks made by the Commandant-General of NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Audi, at a public hearing on the bill to establish the Nigeria Mines Ranger Service, Metchie disagreed with Audi’s opposition to creating a new security outfit. He argued that the NSCDC is already overwhelmed by its responsibilities and urged decision-makers to prioritize the nation’s best interest over personal sentiments and self-interest.
“There is an urgent need for additional personnel in our national security architecture. We cannot afford to let personal motivations and material gains compromise the security of our country,” he said.
Metchie emphasized that vast ungoverned territories have long been identified as a significant security challenge. These areas include forests, bushes, deserts, creeks, swampy areas, and other difficult terrains that remain unmonitored due to limited capacity.
“This is the gap that we as Forest Guards aim to fill,” he stated, adding that the Nigeria Forest Guards Service, which the NHFSS is transitioning into, represents the missing link in Nigeria’s security framework.
He warned that without incorporating these ungoverned areas into national security, the challenges will continue to overwhelm Nigeria due to vulnerabilities in forests, bushes, and other remote locations.
The transformation of the NHFSS into the NFGS, he said, would bring all ungoverned territories under the sovereign control of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Metchie noted that the service is designed to operate at the grassroots level, with personnel familiar with the challenging terrains they patrol, such as forests, bushes, deserts, and creeks.
“The NHFSS has a well-structured management, administrative, and operational network aligned with modern security practices, enabling it to operate effectively in difficult terrains,” he explained.
“Our officers and men possess a deep familiarity with these environments, allowing them to penetrate even the most remote areas of forests, bushes, deserts, and other ungoverned territories to eliminate criminal elements.”
He added that with federal support and the provision of essential security equipment, the NHFSS could leverage its numerical strength, experience, and extensive grassroots reach to secure all territories, including difficult terrains.
Metchie further highlighted the NHFSS’s strong collaboration with agencies such as the police, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the NSCDC.