Worried by high rate of insecurity in the country, especially recurrent fight between famers and herders as well as kidnapping in the country the Ogun State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on Thursday launched ‘Counter-terrorism/Agro-Ranger’ unit to handle all security concerns emanating from forest resources related issues.
Speaking at the launching of the unit which took place in Abeokuta; the Ogun State capital, the State Commandant, Hammed Abodunrin, said, security operation is a living profession, adding that all security agents must always be alive and responsive to the yearnings of the people as far as the issues of protection of lives and property are concerned.
About 200 officers of the command that were recently promoted were decorated at the ceremony.
He said, “this is why when our forests that are expected to be great source of recreational activities are becoming havens for criminals and hoodlums, the authority of the NSCDC responded by creating a unit called ‘agro ranger’ to handle all security concerns emanating from forest resources related issues”.
“The unit is expected to be providing adequate security for farmers, herders, as well as their farms, animals and the environment in general”.
“Personnel in this unit have been trained to provide adequate protection for both public and private agricultural investments including agro allied industries, silos and related establishments throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria”.
Adodunrin added that the Corps Commandant-General, Mohammadu Abdullahi Gana always encourages men and officers of the corps to be proactive in discharging their duties, positing that they should be security conscious at all times.
“He encourages us to keep on bringing new innovations and that is why we are launching this Agro-Rangers and Counter-Terrorism team. Terrorism is a new thing in Nigeria. Herders have been living with us for so long, but suddenly they became so violent, its either the herders are attacking the farmers or farmers attacking the herders, and as a security agency, we have to be very responsive. It is in response to what is going on with the trend of insecurity that brought the idea of having a counter-terrorism unit and agro-ranger units”.
“Most of these things happen in the forest and bush, and the kind of training that you have to operate in the city is different from that of the forest, this is why we have to mobilize our men to have special training on how to survive in the bush or forest because only the military were doing it. When you are fighting, at time you also have to take your battle to the bush, but as a civil agency, and having all these problems around us, we have to train our men for knowing the terrain and what they can do”.
This was what prompted the use of motorcycles, and these motorcycles were specially made for rugged areas and not for fancy. They are so strong that they can also climb mountains”.
“We also discovered that there are places where these bikes cannot go, that was why we are also introducing horses, because horse don’t use fuel, rather they eat grass for sustainability. We are also training our horses to be useful for us, and they have been heeding to our training”.
Speaking at the programme, the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said his administration is working with the Security Trust Fund to provide State-of-the-art communication equipment, to complement the recently procured 100 vehicles and 200 motorcycles, to curb crimes in the State.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Engr. Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele said there was need to put in place communication gadgets in the procured vehicles to aid information flow, so that the team could work together and provide adequate security.
"The new initiative of the counter tourism Agro Rangers unit of this Corps is a very timely one and this shows the foresight of the corps and its adaptability to provide adequate security for our people.
‘’Tourism is a very big part of our agenda and the Eco-tourism was one of the fastest growing areas of the world. With this Corps supporting us, I think people will be more comfortable to go around and do their business", he said.
Governor Abiodun while congratulating the newly promoted officers, urged them not to relent on their efforts, noting that to whom much was given, much was also expected.
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