Personality in Focus
Commander Adesoji Speaks on Forest Guard’s Relevance to Nigeria’s Security Strategy
Across Nigeria’s vast forest belts, ungoverned spaces have increasingly become theatres for violent crime, farmer–herder conflicts, illegal grazing, banditry, arms movement, and environmental crimes. These forests are not isolated wildernesses; they are living corridors linking farms, rural settlements, trade routes, sacred sites, and border communities. As conventional security agencies face mounting pressure, Forest Guards are emerging as a critical but often under-examined layer of Nigeria’s internal security architecture, tasked with early warning, terrain control, community intelligence, and conflict prevention in spaces where insecurity often incubates unseen, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
Forest Guards operate closest to these fault lines. Their effectiveness, however, depends less on force and more on legitimacy. As was repeatedly emphasised at a recent national training in Osun State, forest security succeeds only when authority is exercised lawfully, professionally, and with the consent of the communities that live and work around forest spaces. Without this foundation, security operations risk collapsing into resistance, intelligence failure, and avoidable violence.
It was against this backdrop that the National Forest Guard Training Camp (“Forest Camp”) in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, hosted a set of strategic lectures in January 2026 aimed at redefining how forest security should be practiced in Nigeria. The sessions brought together recruits, rank-and-file operatives, and ward and sector formations from across the country to interrogate a central operational question: how can Forest Guards enforce the law effectively without becoming a source of fear in already vulnerable rural spaces?
The answer, according to the training, lies in a unified doctrine that places lawful authority, disciplined conduct, and community legitimacy at the heart of forest operations.
Delivered in an intensive 2–3 hour integrated format combining classroom instruction, guided discussion, and field-based application, the lectures focused on Ethics and Professional Conduct in Forest Security Operations and Community Engagement, Conflict Resolution, and Trust-Building in Contemporary Forest Policing.
Ethics as Law, Not Preference
Delivering the lectures, the Commander of the Enugu State Forest Guard (ESFG), Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rtd.), framed ethics as a legal obligation rather than a personal choice. He stressed that forest security authority is derived entirely from law and governance frameworks, not from uniforms, weapons, or discretion.
“Ethics in forest security is not a personal value judgment or discretionary behaviour,” he told participants. “It is a binding statutory obligation.”
He anchored this position in existing legal instruments guiding Forest Guard operations, including the Enugu State Forest Guard Law, 2020, the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Enugu State Prohibition of Open Grazing and Regulation of Cattle Ranching Law, 2021, the Firearms Act, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and the Evidence Act, 2011, alongside public service rules and recognised law-enforcement ethics standards. Reinforcing a core operational doctrine of the ESFG, he declared: “Authority exists only within the law.”
BUILDING SECURITY THROUGH TRUST, NOT FEAR
Beyond legality, the lectures placed strong emphasis on community legitimacy as the foundation of effective forest security. Dr. Olasoji reminded operatives that forests are not empty spaces, but environments connected to daily human activity and livelihoods.
“Forests are not isolated zones,” he explained. “They are linked to farms, settlements, markets, footpaths, and sacred sites. That reality makes community partnership a decisive operational factor.”
According to him, the consequences of poor community engagement are immediate and severe. He warned that mistrust leads to intelligence breakdowns, delayed early warning, increased hostility toward operatives, and the escalation of minor disputes into violent confrontations, outcomes that ultimately endanger officers themselves.
In contrast, he argued, trust transforms communities into security partners. As he put it:
“Community engagement is not weakness; it is operational strength. Trust is a force multiplier. When you win the community, you win the forest.”
NON-NEGOTIABLE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
The sessions translated ethical principles into concrete operational standards applicable to patrols, checkpoints, arrest support, intelligence handling, and inter-agency cooperation. Participants were reminded that public confidence and mission success rise or fall with officer conduct.
Among the non-negotiable standards reinforced were universal human-rights compliance, lawful and proportionate use of force, zero tolerance for torture, brutality, corruption, extortion, or record falsification, strict confidentiality of operational information and informant protection, and political neutrality.
Human-rights compliance, Dr. Olasoji stressed, “applies to everyone, always,” while the use of force must satisfy “lawfulness, necessity, and proportionality.”
Mandatory reporting of misconduct, supported by whistle-protection safeguards, was also emphasised as an institutional duty rather than an individual risk.
DECISION-MAKING UNDER PRESSURE
To strengthen field judgment, the lectures adopted a practical ethical decision model consistent with international enforcement doctrine: L-N-P-A — Legality, Necessity, Proportionality, Accountability.
Operatives were trained to ask four questions before acting: Is it lawful? Is it genuinely required? Is it the minimum reasonable response? Can it be defended openly, in writing, and before lawful authority?
The guiding rule, as repeatedly emphasised, was uncompromising:
“If you cannot defend it, don’t do it.”
EARLY WARNING AND CONFLICT PREVENTION
A major focus of the engagement lecture was early warning and early response. Participants were trained to identify indicators such as rumour patterns, unusual movement along forest corridors, resource-pressure signals linked to farmer–herder tensions, and enforcement-related triggers capable of igniting rapid conflict.
Forest Guards, Dr. Olasoji explained, are not merely enforcers but stabilisers.
“Forest Guards are peace managers,” he noted, “but they must operate strictly within legal limits.”
A standard dispute-management workflow was reinforced: Assess, Stabilise, Separate, Dialogue, Decide (Enforce or Refer), Document, Report, and Follow-up, with clear thresholds for referral to the Police, DSS, courts, and civil authorities.
HIGH-SENSITIVITY ENFORCEMENT: OPEN GRAZING
Given the sensitivity of open-grazing enforcement nationwide, the lectures stressed that operations must remain calm, law-based, non-discriminatory, and free of harassment, extortion, ethnic profiling, or improper impoundment. Ethical professionalism, participants were told, is central to preventing rural instability and escalation in mixed-use forest zones.
TRAINING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
The sessions employed scenario-based learning, decision drills, and misconduct case studies to ensure practical understanding. Ethics and community-engagement competence were presented as mandatory core requirements, forming part of refresher training and promotion criteria, with completion formally recorded in personnel files.
Responsibility for trust-building was distributed across the command structure, from state and zonal commands to sector, ward, and frontline formations, embedding accountability into institutional culture.
A BROADER NATIONAL LESSON
In one of the most quoted moments of the lectures, Dr. Olasoji told participants:
“A Forest Guard is a trust-bearer, not a power-holder. Uniform and equipment do not create authority; character does. Without integrity, authority collapses.”
Security analysts say the Ila-Orangun engagement underscores a broader national lesson: that sustainable forest security in Nigeria depends less on coercion and more on professionalism, legality, and partnership with communities.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with insecurity across rural and forested regions, the lessons from Ila-Orangun point to a clear conclusion—when Forest Guards operate within the law and with the people, forests shift from being security liabilities to strategic assets in national security management.
Personality in Focus
Eminent Gents Int’l Announces Philanthropist Abiodun Enilari Paseda As New President
By Eric Elezuo
The Eminent Gents International Club, an association of eminent gentlemen, who have proved their mettle in the society, and committed to lending a helping to the upliftment of the society, has announced Sir Abiodun Paseda as its new president.
Paseda takes over from Eminent Otunba Olumide Owoseni, who performed creditably well during his tenure in office.
The announcement was made following a keenly contested electoral process, where Paseda was elected unopposed. His election, according to a cross section of the club members, was made possible as a result of the confidence members reposed in him owing to his acknowledged discipline, focus and leadership abilities.
Announcing the results, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Eminent Barr. Taiwo Odumosu, commended members for the maturity, discipline, and commitment they demonstrated throughout the process, noting that despite minor challenges encountered, members conducted themselves in a manner that reflected the values and ideals upon which the Club was founded.
Immediate Past President Eminent Otunba Olumide Owoseni
Barr. Odumosu congratulated the newly elected officers and urged them to provide purposeful and inclusive leadership capable of strengthening the unity and growth of the Club.
Among members of the executive council, who will be working with Eminent Paseda are Eminent Barr. Oluwaseun Basorun, who was elected as the Vice President and Eminent Ariyo Abass, who won the General Secretary position.
Others are Eminent Ganiu Omotoso for the office of the Assistant General Secretary, Eminent Akinsanya Olaseni as Financial Secretary, Eminent Muyiwa Jayesimi as the Treasurer, Eminent Barrister Yomi Akodu as the Public Relations Officer and Eminent Segun Fetuga, who won the position of the Social Secetary.
Eminent Odumosu admonished the incoming administration to ensure that no member is left behind in the affairs of the Club, and to place the welfare of members at the forefront of its programmes and policies in order to continue to enhance the beautiful etiquette of the almost 20 years Club.
The Eminent Gents International Club was established in 2006 as a group saddled with the responsibility of catering for the less privileged, the needy and the have-nots of the society. The Club strongly believes in giving back to the society, with an overriding philosophy, which revolves around pooling skills, resources and experience to create a sustainable change, and improve the lives of those in need.
New Vice President Eminent Barrister Oluwaseun Bashorun
Consequently, the Club has prioritise engagements in targeted initiatives aimed at addressing critical issues affecting the needy cutting across food, heathcare, shelter, clothing and not forgetting empowerment.
In his acceptance speech, Eminent Paseda pledged to live up to expectations, and ensure that the founding principles of the Club is not derailed.
He congratulated his co-executive council members, urging everyone to give their best performance to ensure the success of the administration in particular, and the Club in general.
A distinguished Nigerian based in London, England, Paseda is the Chief Executive Officer, Focus on Disabilities (FOD) Foundation, a not for profit organization that is saddled with the responsibility of seeing to the wellbeing of those living with disabilities. The organization, founded in 2010, has supervised the provision of sundry humanitarian assistance to people living with disabilities across Nigeria and the African continent with special mention to England, his place of residence.
He is a stern believer in the lifting of the downtrodden in the society, and has been awarded the Humanitarian award by Ceebee Gold Foundation.
A recipient of the BEFFTA Award, Africa achiever Award, Scotland among many others, Paseda has since 2012 been distributing movement enhancing materials to the disabled across the continent. Some of these distributions include 60 wheel chairs and disability aids in Kano and Kaduna states in 2012; distribution of clutches, wheel chairs, food items among other things in Ogun state in March and September 2013. Ever since, the selfless giver has not looked back in supporting the less privileged with his resources. He runs an all-expense paid home for people living with disabilities in Odogbolu, Ogun State
Paseda’s humanitarian outreach stretches across Africa and the UK where he is reputed to have touched a lot of lives.
A new chapter in clinical leadership has commenced at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, with the appointment of renowned Consultant Nephrologist, Dr. Olusola Adebisi, as the institution’s new Head of Clinical Services (HCS). He officially resumes duty today, Monday, June 15, 2026, following the expiration of the tenure of his predecessor, Dr. A.S. Adediran, whose stewardship contributed significantly to the advancement of clinical services within the tertiary healthcare institution.
The appointment, approved by the 7th Board of Management at its 6th Extraordinary Meeting held on June 8, 2026, is hailed as a strategic move that places one of the hospital’s most experienced clinicians and respected administrators at the helm of its clinical operations. With a distinguished career spanning renal medicine, healthcare leadership, organized medicine, and community service, Dr. Adebisi brings a wealth of experience and a reputation for excellence to the role.
Until his appointment, Dr. Adebisi served as Head of the Nephrology Unit at FMC Abeokuta, where he earned recognition as one of the leading authorities on kidney-related illnesses within the West African sub-region. A passionate advocate for preventive nephrology, he has spearheaded numerous community sensitization initiatives, including annual World Kidney Day campaigns aimed at promoting early detection and management of kidney disease. He has also mentored and supervised generations of resident doctors, medical officers, and specialized nephrology nurses, helping to sustain a culture of clinical excellence.
His leadership credentials extend beyond clinical practice. Dr. Adebisi previously served as Chairman of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), FMC Abeokuta Chapter, where he was instrumental in fostering professional harmony and academic advancement among consultants. He currently serves as Faculty Treasurer of the West African College of Physicians (WACP), a role that underscores his financial discipline, organizational trust, and administrative competence. His earlier engagements with the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) further enriched his understanding of Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.
Beyond medicine, Dr. Adebisi is actively involved in civic and community development. He currently serves as President of the Rotary Club in the Oke-Ona Egba District, championing humanitarian, maternal health, and community empowerment initiatives. He is also the Social Secretary of the Abeokuta Sports Club, contributing to social cohesion and cultural development within Ogun State.
A devout Christian and committed family man, Dr. Adebisi is widely respected for a leadership style rooted in integrity, compassion, and service. As Head of Clinical Services, he is expected to focus on strengthening patient-centred care, enhancing clinical research and residency training, improving interdepartmental collaboration, and promoting institutional harmony across all clinical cadres.
Speaking on his vision for the office, Dr. Adebisi emphasized the need for innovation, professionalism, and teamwork in healthcare delivery. “Our objective remains clear: to deliver compassionate, world-class, and accessible healthcare to our immediate community and beyond, fueled by clinical innovation, integrity, and absolute dedication to human life,” he said.
With his assumption of office today, stakeholders within and outside FMC Abeokuta express optimism that his blend of clinical expertise, administrative experience, and people-centred leadership will further strengthen the institution’s position as a leading centre of excellence in healthcare delivery, training, and research.
Personality in Focus
June 12: Tinubu Confers National Honours on Kolade-Otitoju, Dasuki, Okei-Odumakin, Others
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred national honours on several prominent pro-democracy activists, journalists, civil society leaders, and retired military officers in recognition of their contributions to Nigeria’s democratic struggle and the historic June 12 movement.
The announcement was made during the President’s nationwide Democracy Day broadcast commemorating Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.
According to President Tinubu, the awards are intended to immortalize the sacrifices of individuals who endured persecution, imprisonment, solitary confinement, harassment, and exile during the fight against military dictatorship and the struggle to actualize the June 12, 1993 presidential election mandate.
Tinubu Honours Democracy Heroes
The President emphasized that the honourees played critical roles in defending democratic values and laying the foundation for the civilian rule Nigeria enjoys today.
Among those recognized are veteran journalists, media executives, civil rights advocates, and leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), whose resistance to military rule helped shape the nation’s democratic journey.
Media and Civil Society Leaders Recognised
Notable recipients in the media and civil society category include:
* Gbemiga Ogunleye, former Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ)
* Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, Director of News at TVC News and veteran journalist
* Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, renowned human rights campaigner
* Chief Ayo Opadokun, NADECO chieftain
* Sam Omatseye
* Oladele Alake
* Olatunji Bello
* Louis Odion
* Tunde Fagbenle
* Richard Akinnola
* Debo Adeniran
The recognition highlights the pivotal role played by the media and civil society organizations in resisting authoritarian rule and advocating for democratic governance.
Retired Military Officers Honoured for Opposing Dictatorship
In what observers have described as a historic and groundbreaking move, President Tinubu also created a special category to honour military officers who worked from within the armed forces to challenge authoritarian rule and support democratic ideals.
The honoured retired officers include:
* Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd)
* Colonel Lawan Gwadabe (retd)
* Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe
* Major General Ishola Williams (retd)
* Major General M.A. Garba
* Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa
The President noted that these officers risked their careers, personal freedom, and lives in pursuit of democratic governance during one of Nigeria’s most turbulent political periods.
Celebrating 27 Years of Democracy
The national honours ceremony forms part of activities marking Democracy Day, observed annually on June 12 in remembrance of the 1993 presidential election widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to preserving democratic institutions, protecting civil liberties, and ensuring that the sacrifices of June 12 heroes remain permanently etched in Nigeria’s national memory.
The honours have been widely viewed as a significant step toward acknowledging the contributions of individuals and groups whose courage and resilience helped restore democratic rule and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
