- Tinubu approves establishment of guards to secure forests
By Orkula Shaagee
Following recent spate of killings, attacks and kidnappings that resulted in the loss of many lives and properties across the country, the United Kingdom, yesterday decried the security situation in Nigeria, describing it as worrisome.
It came on the day, President Tinubu took a major step rowards resolving the security challenge in the country, by approving the establishment of forest guard to secure Nigeria’s forests.
Recenty attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents on communities and military formations in the north east and north west have claimed hundres of lives, while attacked launched by maurauding herdsmen and armed gangs in the north central zone of the country have led to hundreds of killings and has also displaced many others, with properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
Briefing journalists at his residence in Abuja yesterday, the UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, attributed the situation to spill overs from Sudan and Niger.
Montgomery said the UK government was collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser as well as through investments in security infrastructure to reduce it.
He expressed concerns over cases of visa fraud in the country, stressing that the situation was connected to the recent cases of visa rejections.
The envoy advised visa applicants to provide the right supporting documents to get a chance of approval.
The United Kingdom, however, reiterated its commitment to fostering its economic and trade ties with Nigeria through the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP).
According to the diplomat, the core mandate of the partnership covers areas such as education, agriculture, financial services, clean energy, digital technology, and the creative industry.
On the nation’s economy, Montgomery hailed the latest report of the World Bank that said Nigeria is on the path towards economic recovery, thus making it an investment hub for the United Kingdom.
He also commended the trade ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which he said currently stand at £7.2 billion.
While applauding the trade partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the British High Commissioner noted that exports of hydrocarbons from the UK to Nigeria had reduced, stressing that the boost given to local production remained commendable.
On export tariffs, the UK announced a tariff-free export on 3,000 goods from Nigeria.
Some of the products on the list include cocoa, cashew nuts, prawns, and flowers.
During the briefing, Montgomery responded to questions concerning the migration of skilled health care workers to the UK, highlighting that the move is to control the influx of persons.
He stressed that over 1.6 million people moved to the UK in the last two years, and sustaining their migration to the UK was not realistic.
While highlighting the fact that the UK population was put at 68 million, the envoy explained that Nigerians got over 10 percent of visa approvals recently.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, yesterday approved the establishment of forest guards and commencement of their employment to secure the 1,129 forests in the country.
This was disclosed in a statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, yesterday.
According to the statement, the President directed that the forest guards are to be well trained and armed to perform their duties, which is essentially to flush out terrorists and criminal gangs hiding inside the forests for criminal activities.
This recruitment is a security collaborative effort between the federal and state governments.
The office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, and the Ministry of Environment have been directed to take charge and ensure full implementation.
Thousands of young Nigerians are expected to be employed as personnel of the outfit.
Recall that Tinubu had warned terrorists that his administration would not surrender an inch of the country’s territory to terrorists, bandits, and other criminal gangs operating inside the forests.
He vowed that the country would take back its forests.