The Forest Must Never Belong to Fear Again

The successful rescue of the Oriire schoolchildren, their teachers and other victims has restored confidence in the ability of Nigeria’s security agencies to confront seemingly impossible situations. It demonstrated that with determination, intelligence and coordination, even the most hardened criminal enclaves can be penetrated.

Yet, the greater challenge lies ahead.

The true victory will not be measured by the rescue alone but by the nation’s resolve to ensure that no forest, no matter how remote, ever again becomes a sanctuary for kidnappers, terrorists and other criminal elements.

For too long, vast stretches of Nigeria’s forests have gradually slipped beyond effective government presence. Criminal gangs have exploited these ungoverned spaces to establish camps, coordinate attacks, detain victims and threaten communities whose only offence is to live or farm near these forests.

That abnormality must now end.

The Federal government, working in concert with the states and local governments, should immediately embark upon a comprehensive programme to reclaim every ungoverned forest and restore the authority of the law across every inch of Nigerian territory.
This responsibility cannot rest on the shoulders of the security agencies alone.

The time has come to redefine the role of the Ministries and Departments of Forestry across the federation. Forestry administration must no longer be viewed merely through the narrow prism of tree conservation or timber regulation. It must become an integral component of Nigeria’s security architecture. Once security agencies have secured these forests, forestry professionals should return; not recklessly, but under adequate security protection to undertake detailed mapping, demographic surveys, ecological assessments and continuous monitoring of forest reserves.

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Government cannot effectively govern territory it does not fully understand. Knowledge remains the first instrument of effective governance. Security operations should therefore continue until criminal networks are completely dismantled and legitimate governmental activities can safely resume within these forests. Victory should not be episodic; it must become permanent.

Equally important is accountability. Traditional rulers, village heads and community leaders occupy positions of enormous trust. That trust must never be betrayed. Any traditional authority found aiding, harbouring or collaborating with criminal elements should face the full weight of the law. Traditional institutions derive their dignity from integrity, not immunity.

The same standard must apply to public officials. Any government functionary discovered to be collaborating with criminal syndicates, leaking intelligence or undermining security operations must be prosecuted without fear or favour. Public office must never become a shield for criminality.

In the same vein, while every citizen is entitled to legal representation and the protection of due process, the legal system must never become an unintended refuge for organised crime. The Nigerian Bar Association has a continuing responsibility to uphold the noblest traditions of the profession by discouraging abuses of legal procedures that unnecessarily frustrate legitimate security operations. Justice is best served when the rights of the accused are protected without compromising the safety of society.

The Oriire experience should therefore become more than a remarkable rescue story. It should mark the beginning of a new national determination to reclaim every ungoverned space, restore confidence in public authority and return Nigeria’s forests to their rightful purpose.

Forests were created to preserve biodiversity, sustain livelihoods, support agriculture and enrich the environment; not to incubate fear. Nigeria cannot claim full sovereignty while portions of its territory remain effectively governed by criminal gangs.

The forests must never belong to fear again. They must belong once more to the Nigerian people.