The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), led by Nuhu Ribadu, has reportedly taken into custody the Commander-General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), Osatimehin Joshua Wole, along with six other members of the organisation. The development was disclosed by security sources who confirmed that the individuals are currently being held in Abuja.
Those reportedly detained alongside Osatimehin include L.E. Okonkwo, retired Major Abubakar A. Muhammed, retired Major Sunday Akpa, Usman Muazu Abdullahi, Peter Jov, and Reuben Kuku. According to insiders familiar with the situation, the arrests were carried out recently, although details surrounding the operation remain unclear. Sources simply indicated that the individuals are being held within the nation’s capital without further elaboration.
Osatimehin, who heads the NFSS, is known for coordinating efforts aimed at protecting Nigeria’s forest regions from criminal activities such as banditry and kidnapping. His role often places him at the intersection of grassroots intelligence gathering and collaboration with formal security institutions, making the development particularly significant within the country’s security landscape.
As of the time this report was compiled, authorities have not publicly disclosed the reasons behind the detention of the NFSS leadership and its members. Neither the NSA’s office nor the Nigerian Forest Security Service has released an official statement addressing the arrests, leaving room for speculation about the circumstances that led to the action.
The situation comes against the backdrop of ongoing efforts by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen security across forested areas of the country. In May 2025, the President approved the establishment of an armed Forest Guard unit as part of strategies to combat kidnapping and terrorism in remote regions.
Later in October 2025, Osatimehin had publicly appealed to the President to assent to legislation formally establishing the NFSS as a statutory body tasked with safeguarding forest territories. He had argued that Nigeria’s forests were increasingly being used as safe havens by criminal groups and stressed the importance of a specialised agency to support existing security forces.
The call for stronger forest security measures had also received backing from the National Assembly. In May 2025, the Senate urged the President to sign the NFSS Bill into law following deliberations on rising insecurity, including the abduction of traditional ruler Oba James Dada Ogunyanda in Kogi State and violent attacks in parts of Benue State.
Lawmakers called for swift security action in the impacted regions, suggesting that the NFSS Bill be amended to align with the President’s Forest Guard initiative to tackle growing insecurity in forests and rural areas.
The Senate further appealed to the Federal Government to mandate all relevant security agencies to step up efforts to secure the immediate release of the kidnapped monarch.