In response to the alarming rise in insecurity across Nigeria, local hunters, forest guards, and farmers have intensified calls for formal support from the Federal Government to aid in combating banditry, terrorism, and other criminal activities festering in the nation’s forests.
Groups such as the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), Professional Hunters Association of Nigeria (PHAN), Agbekoya Farmers’ Society of Nigeria, and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) have called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to formally empower them. They claim to possess not only extensive knowledge of forest terrains but also unique physical and spiritual abilities critical in the fight against insecurity.
This appeal comes in the wake of renewed attacks in Plateau and Benue states, where gunmen massacred no fewer than 51 residents of Bassa Local Government Area last week. Earlier attacks had claimed at least 52 lives and displaced almost 2,000 people in the same region. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the grim toll, prompting President Tinubu to issue fresh orders for a security strategy overhaul.
Despite ongoing federal efforts, the hunters argue that local forces remain underutilized, even though they have the expertise and spiritual capacity to tackle criminals entrenched within Nigeria’s vast and often unguarded forests.
Speaking to newsmen, Joshua Osatimehin, Commandant General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, emphasized the need for legal and operational support to bolster their efforts.
“We understand the forests; some of our operatives live there. But without official federal backing, taking action against these marauders risks being misconstrued as extrajudicial,” Osatimehin explained.
“With the necessary logistical support and security infrastructure, we can significantly reduce these senseless killings,” he added.
Osatimehin warned that Nigeria’s porous borders have made it easier for foreign mercenaries to infiltrate rural communities, exacerbating the insecurity crisis. According to him, the presence of hunters and guards in remote forests positions them as a vital first line of defense before the arrival of conventional security forces.
Similarly, Danladi Perry, National Secretary of the Professional Hunters Association of Nigeria, stressed the urgency of intensified patrols and surveillance, especially along bush routes heavily exploited by attackers.
“If the Federal Government had deployed us earlier, the devastating spate of killings in Plateau and Benue could have been minimized. We know the terrain, we are brave, and we are ready. What we need is adequate support to enhance patrols and surveillance operations,” Perry asserted.
In the South-West, the Agbekoya Farmers’ Society of Nigeria has already adopted spiritual methods to tackle insecurity. Adegbenro Ogunlana, Secretary-General of the group, revealed that rituals and sacrifices recommended by the Ifa oracle were being carried out across Yoruba-speaking communities in Kwara, Kogi, and South-Western states to shield residents from attacks.
“We are already spiritually fortifying the region. Without these efforts, the situation would have been far worse. We have arrested some insiders aiding terrorists, and our spiritual interventions are aimed at restoring peace,” Ogunlana said.
Meanwhile, Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, hinted at behind-the-scenes consultations and intelligence activities aimed at preventing further infiltration of Yoruba territories by terrorist elements. Adams warned that criminal syndicates were targeting mineral-rich communities, often using insider knowledge sourced from government agencies.
“The threat is real. We have credible reports indicating that terrorists have infiltrated strategic communities in Yoruba land, particularly areas with solid mineral deposits. Sadly, political leaders are not doing enough to address this,” Adams lamented.
Alhaji Muhammad Ahmed, Commander of Patrol and Guards of the Nigeria Forest Security Service for the North-Central region, expressed optimism that Nigeria’s security landscape could change drastically if President Tinubu assents to a bill currently before him. The proposed legislation seeks to legalize the operations of forest hunters, allowing the deployment of traditional hunters with spiritual powers to fight insecurity.
“The bill has already been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly. Once signed into law, our trained and spiritually fortified hunters will legally be empowered to cleanse the forests of criminals,” Ahmed explained.
According to him, the real hunters, distinct from administrative officers, possess the unique spiritual prowess needed to root out terrorists from deep within Nigeria’s forests—knowledge and skills that conventional forces often lack.
The groups are unanimous: if empowered and properly integrated into Nigeria’s security architecture, hunters and local guards could significantly complement the efforts of military and police forces in restoring safety and stability across the country.
As insecurity continues to plague several regions, the hunters’ call has reignited the conversation around community-led security initiatives and the critical role traditional knowledge and spiritual beliefs could play in the nation’s collective defense.