Dear esteemed Governors and Honorable Parliamentarians of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi and Kwara States;
The ugly spate of insecurities which spiraled to unmanageable proportions in the whole of Nigeria,is of very serious concern to all well-meaning Nigerians, especially, with its attendant consequences not only on politics, but on all other sectors of the country.
We have witnessed different kinds of horrible security breaches like attacks on military bases, kidnappings for ransoms, mass killings (including in religious houses),arsons, rapping, wanton destructions of farmlands and crops, maiming, and all forms of terrorisms and brigandage, in Nigeria.Unfortunately, the insecurities continued to escalate despite the efforts of government at all levels and the participation of unconventional parties like the vigilante groups, to stem the violent attacks.
From available statistics, conservatively, not less than about two million Nigerians have died and several millions affected directly or indirectly by the spate of insecurities orchestrated and unleashed by Boko Haram irredentists, their ISWAP brothers and the murderous Fulani Terrorist Organisations, who are heavily armed with sophisticated weapons. The sources of the weapons aretraceable to foreign agents, and their Nigerian sponsors and collaborators.
In the history of Nigeria before and after independence in 1960, the most unfortunate era and when incalculable damages were inflicted on Yoruba people the most, was during the regime of Fulani Terrorism presided over by a man who hails from another country Niger, in the person of Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023. Having lost the presidential elections three consecutive times, Buhari and his political jihadist vampires invited Fulani terror machinery across Africa to Nigeria to make the country ungovernable, and more importantly to blacklist Jonathan Goodluck regime, unbeknown to the generality of Nigerians that Terrorist Muhammadu Buhari had the Fulani Agenda of taking over Nigeria by seizure and occupation of indigenous lands and with ultimate intension of wiping off the land owners, to actualize the Fulanirisation program, immediately after being sworn in as President, Terrorist Buhari appointed 14 of his Fulani ethnic nationalities to head all the security departments of Nigeria.
Then the carnage started, human life is nothing to the Fulani bandits, they even shout the name of God before slaughtering human beings in cold blood. In all the outcries all over Nigeria regarding killings by his tribesmen, Buhari always looked the other way, and when arrests are made, order from above always come from Abuja that members of rabid Fulani organization caught in committing crimes, be immediately released. The spate of killings got to intolerable level that former President Buhari personally requested those being killed, to accommodate the Fulanis killing them. What a statement and what a country?
All over Nigeria, kidnappings for ransoms by the Fulanis, mass killings, rapping, destructions of farmlands and crops by Fulani herdsmen and terrorists, became the order of the day.Indeed, Yorubaland witnessed the worst insecurity we ever experienced nor imagined. The Oke-Ogun Area, Oyo state became the theatre of multifaceted Fulani Terrorists’ clashes with the indigenous Yoruba people, especially the farmers. Over 2000 indigenous innocent men, women and children lost their lives and their ancestral homes and lands, were taken over by Fulanis.
The news from other parts of Yorubaland to say the least, were disheartening. In Ondo and Ekiti states, traditional rulers were recklessly murdered by Fulani marauders. A former Secretary to the Federal government of Nigeria, Chief Oluyemisi Falae was nearly killed by Fulani herdsmen on his farmlands, in Ondo state.
On 5thJune 2022, worshippers at the St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, South-Western Nigeria, were celebrating the Pentecost and over 50 innocent members were mercilessly and in cold blood wiped off the earth surface, by Fulani terrorists.
On 1stJuly 2021, at ungodly hours, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho was with impunity attacked in his home by agents of Terrorist Buhari government principally to exterminate him because he was opposed to the Fulani brigandage in Oke-Ogun Area, Yorubaland. In the said attack, two defenceless innocent men were killed but Sunday Igbohoby the grace of Alales, miraculously escaped the assassination attempt.
We of Yoruba Emancipation Union YEU, shall never allow, bow nor succumb to these uncivilized, crude styles and mentalities of violence; antisocial behaviours and criminalities in Yorubaland.
In this regard, we salute the wisdom of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the policy of ARMED FOREST SECURITY GUARDS for its profoundness, soundness and boldness. We are in total support for the courageous policy which taken the bull by the horns, to remove the security blight by initiating the ARMED FOREST GUARD POLICY, all over Nigeria.
Without any doubt, these terrorists, militants, marauders, bandits, etc., have turned our forests into their own armed bases from where they launched their violent attacks against innocent and defenceless communities, farmers and travelers.
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The Armed Forest Guards are not only to flush out these armed criminals from our forests but to also secure our forests from them including their sponsors; and ultimately securing our communities and Nigeria. The policy as initiated, shall also secure mineral resources and our forest trees, and animals from exploiters who use marauders to condon off forests and cover up their nefarious activities. Their activities have caused our governments and people losses of huge revenue from illegal miners of gold, uranium, lithium, etc, from these forests. This policy, if well implemented, will no doubt, remove these ugly trends, the insecurities, economic, social dislocations and human crises.
CLARION CALL ON SOUTHWEST GOVERNORS AND HOUSES OF ASSEMBLIES.
We of Yoruba Emancipation Union YEU hereby urgently appeal to our South West Houses of Assembly and Governors to urgently come up with
(1)Armed Forest Guard Laws for Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi and Kwara States with the objectives of
1. Expelling from our forests, all illegal non indigenes dwellers and occupiers
2. Forest conservation and sustainable management:
(a) Protecting forests: Ensuring the long-term health and viability of forests by preventing deforestation, degradation, and damages.
(b) Regulating activities: Controlling activities like mining, logging, grazing, and other resource extraction to prevent overexploitation and ensure sustainability.
(c) Promoting biodiversity: Protecting the variety of plant and animal life within the forests and maintaining ecological balance.
(d) Maintaining water and soil quality: Protecting forests’ role in regulating water cycles and preventing soil erosion.
3. Law enforcement and compliance:
(a) Preventing illegal activities: Combating illegal mining, logging, poaching, encroachment, and other illegal activities within the forest areas.
(b) Enforcing regulations: Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations related to forest management and resource utilization.
(c) Prosecuting offenders: Holding individuals accountable for violations of forest laws through legal proceedings.
4. Community involvement and benefit sharing:
(a) Engaging local communities: Involving local communities in forest management and conservation efforts, recognizing their traditional knowledge and rights.
(b) Ensuring sustainable livelihoods: Providing for the needs of local communities for forest products while ensuring the long-term sustainability of resources.
(c) Promoting equitable benefit sharing: Ensuring that local communities benefit fairly from the sustainable use of forest resources.
5. Environmental protection:
(a) Maintaining ecological balance: Protecting the natural environment, including air and water quality, and biodiversity.
(b) Mitigating climate change: Recognizing the role of the forests in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.
(c) Protecting cultural and heritage values: Recognizing and protecting the cultural and historical significance of forests.
6. Supporting national policies and international agreements:
(a) Implementing national forest policies: Ensuring that forest management practices align with national policies and objectives.
(b) Complying with international agreements:
7. Adhering to international agreements related to forest conservation and sustainable development.
(2) Proposed roles and responsibilities of Forestry Guards
Having established the Forestry Guards, the underlisted are the roles and duties which we suggest to becarried out by the Agency
1. Patrolling and surveillance: Forestry guards shall regularly patrol their assigned areas to monitor for illegal activities, such as, unlawful occupation by bandits, kidnappers, logging, poaching, and encroachment.
2. Enforcement of forest Laws: Shall be responsible for enforcing forest laws and regulations, apprehending offenders, and reporting violations to the appropriate authorities.
3. Fire prevention and control: Shall play a crucial role in preventing forest fires and responding to outbreaks, including eliminating fire hazards and reporting fires.
4. Supervision of forest activities: Shall supervise various forest activities like nursery operations, plantation maintenance, and timber harvesting.
5. Monitoring forest health: Shall assess the health of the forest, including identifying damaged trees, disease outbreaks, and other forest health issues.
6. Reporting and record keeping: Shall maintain records of their patrols, activities, and observations, and submit reports to the appropriate authorities.
7. Public education and outreach: Forestry guards shall also be involved in educating the public about forest conservation and sustainable practices.
8. Protection of wildlife: Shall play a vital role in protecting wildlife from poaching and habitat destruction thereby offering deserved protection to the endangered species.
9. Maintenance of forest infrastructure: Forestry guards shall be responsible for maintaining forest roads, trails, and other infrastructures.
10. Community engagement: Shall work with local communities to promote responsible forest management and conservation
3. Education and training for the Forest Guards
Given the herculean tasks ahead and the high unemployment rate, we strongly recommend that a Certificate, Diploma and First university degree should be the minimum educational qualifications for employment as forest guards.
With respect to training, recruited personnel must be trained as combat ready soldiers, prepared to do battle on land, air and sea and heavily armed with modern sophisticated military wares.
The state agencies to implement the policy and proposed law must understand the importance and the need to work in tandem and understanding with the Federal government agencies (securities, legal and others) to remove conflicts, antagonisms,unreasonable manoeuvres,etc., which may work against the realizations of the goals and objectives of this laudable and very progressive policy and proposed law/
There is need for hard work and full cooperation with the relevant federal arms of government responsible for the policy and law. We need harmonization with the existing FOREST SECURITY GUARDS.
We could as well become the first region in Nigeria to implement this novel policy, wisely and courageously initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and which said policy was publicly announced on 15th May 2025.
While anxiously looking forward to seeing the Honourable Parliamentarians and our esteemed Governors transform this policy into law in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi and Kwara States, we thank you most sincerely for your prompt actions.
Pastor Agbebi Joel Adebola Prof. EFG Ajayi
Secretary General Director General
For:
Yoruba Emancipation Union(YEU) Worldwide
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