The Commander-General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), Osatimehin Joshua Wole, and six other members of the group have been arrested by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) led by Nuhu Ribadu.
Sahara Reporters, citing security sources, said the suspects had been arrested and were being detained in Abuja.
Others reportedly detained are L.E. Okonkwo, retired Major Abubakar A. Muhammed, retired Major Sunday Akpa, Usman Muazu Abdullahi, Peter Jov and Reuben Kuku.
They are under detention in Abuja,” confirmed a source in the know of the development.
The Nigerian Forest Security Service is mandated to secure forest areas in the country especially in the fight against banditry and kidnapping.
As Commander-General, Osatimehin has been hailed as a vital link between local intelligence networks and the formal security agencies.
As of the time of this report’s filing, authorities have not provided any specific reasons for the detention.
Neither the Office of the National Security Adviser nor the NFSS has publicly commented on the development.
In May 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the creation of a forest guard unit with arms to combat insecurity in forested areas.
The move was aimed at tackling the increasing cases of kidnapping and terrorism associated with criminal gangs operating in the forests.
In October 2025, Osatimehin had appealed to the President to assent to the bill establishing the NFSS, stressing the need for a specialised agency to secure Nigeria’s forests.
The Senate had also called for the passage of the NFSS Bill following increasing attacks and abductions in rural communities.
