The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas, says the federal government will get enough forces to deal with bandits and other criminals who have taken over most of the country’s forests.

Mr Abbas spoke on Thursday at the ministry’s top management retreat at the Fifth Chukker Resort, Maraba-Jost Road, Kaduna.

“It is quite unfortunate that most of our forests have been taken over by bandits, kidnappers and other terrorists that have been unleashing mayhem on innocent Nigerians,” said the minister.

He noted that the issue bothered President Bola Tinubu, and the federal government would soon set up enough forces to beef up security in the forests. We are liaising with the military, SSS, police, and other security agencies to remedy this ugly trend.

Mr Abbas added that the federal government was intensifying efforts to cleanse up the forests of poachers, illegal loggers and other sundry criminals making life miserable in the forests.

According to the minister, the various tree species in the country must be adequately protected, while the government is also doing everything humanly possible to address all environmental challenges.

Mr Abbas said the government was considering introducing coastal guards to boost security in Nigeria’s coastal waters.

“We will also look at other issues like perennial flooding, coastal and gully erosion and other related environmental challenges plaguing parts of Nigeria,” the minister said.

(NAN)