… House urges Tinubu to recruit forest guards nationwide, replicate Oyo model_
The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa, service chiefs, Inspector General of Police Tunji Disu, and Director-General of the Department of State Services Adeola Ajayi to account for funds released to security agencies in the last six months.
The Green Chamber also invited Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Mohammed to appear before it to provide details of budgetary releases amid rising insecurity nationwide.
Tuesday’s resolution followed motions on the spate of kidnappings and attacks in different states. Lawmakers mandated the officials to brief the House on how security funds have been deployed.
*Forest guards for all affected states*
The House urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the recruitment of forest guards in all states battling insecurity, as he did in Oyo State. President Tinubu had approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo after terrorists abducted over 40 students and teachers from schools in the state last month.
In a similar incident, gunmen kidnapped scores of students and teachers in Borno, sparking national outrage and protests by the Nigerian Union of Teachers demanding the release of abductees.
*Presidential response*
Responding to the Oyo abduction, President Tinubu dispatched a high-powered delegation led by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside IGP Egbetokun and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, to the affected community. Gbajabiamila said the President was “disturbed” by the incident and determined to deploy all available resources to secure the release of victims.
Tinubu also directed the creation of a specialized security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to free the abducted pupils and teachers, and vowed to defeat insecurity across the country.
