Benin City — The African Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation, in collaboration with the National Park Service, has recruited over 70 agro-rangers to enhance the protection of biodiversity and natural resources at the Okomu National Park in Edo State.
The Project Manager of the ANI Foundation at Okomu National Park, Mr Peter Abanyam, stated this while flagging off the training of 37 newly recruited agro-rangers for the park.
Abanyam said the worsening security challenges in the country, including banditry and kidnapping, necessitated the recruitment of additional rangers to safeguard the park and neighbouring communities.
"With the growing insecurity in the country, we need more manpower to secure the area, as forests have become hideouts for kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements.
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"We need people on the ground who will patrol different locations within the forest and ensure that the park is properly protected and secured," he said.
The Director of the ANI Foundation, retired Brig.-Gen. Olajide Laleye, said the foundation was partnering with the National Park Service to provide financial, technical and managerial support for biodiversity protection across national parks in the country.
Laleye said the increasing responsibilities at Okomu National Park had made the existing ranger workforce grossly inadequate, necessitating the recruitment of additional personnel for effective protection of the park.
He said the rangers would undergo intensive training over the next six weeks on basic ranger skills, particularly arms handling, to enable them to effectively protect biodiversity and the ecosystem at Okomu Park.
He advised the rangers to be patriotic, disciplined and loyal, urging them to take the training seriously in order to fully understand the rules of engagement and effectively carry out their duties.
The Conservator of Park at Okomu National Park, Mr Lawrence Osaze, said the engagement of the rangers was informed by the need for the Federal Government to strengthen biodiversity conservation and nature protection.
He cautioned the rangers against allowing criminal elements to infiltrate their ranks, stressing that as armed personnel, they must guard their weapons jealously to prevent them from falling into the hands of criminals.
The Commander of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, represented by Capt. Anass Ibrahim, charged the rangers to avoid any form of illegality that could be detrimental to themselves and the park.
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He urged them to abide strictly by rules and regulations to enable them succeed in their assignment.
