WIP urges Tinubu intervention over NFSS Commander Osatimehin's detention
World Institute for Peace (WIP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the prolonged detention of Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) Commander Osatimehin Joshua Wole, held for 15 days without clear charges. The group alleges the situation is linked to actions within the Office of the National Security Adviser under Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
WIP Executive Director Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi emphasized that the NFSS commander and colleagues were volunteering to support security operations across Nigeria, especially in forest regions prone to banditry and kidnapping. The continued detention raises serious questions about due process and could discourage citizens from participating in grassroots security efforts.
The NFSS is described as "a critical grassroots security structure with more than 70,000 volunteers nationwide, contributing to intelligence gathering and community protection." This initiative bridges the gap between local communities and formal security agencies in remote areas. WIP warns that continued detention could erode public trust in security institutions already facing challenges. The group also calls for presidential assent to the NFSS Bill passed by the National Assembly to provide a legal framework for this security initiative.