By Sunday Ani
The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Ajao Adewale has commended the Deputy Commander General (DCG), Intelligence, of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS) Ambassador John Metchie, for the award as the Best and Most Accommodating DGC Intelligence.
The award was bestowed on Metchie by the Commander General of NFSS, Dr. Joshua Wole Osatimehin, at the closing ceremony of the 2025 training workshop organised by NFSS management for senior officers and men of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Provost units. Over 400 personnel of the Service participated in the training.
Adewale made the commendation while handing over the trophy to Metchie, who is also the African Director, International Association of World Peace Advocates, (IAWPA), at the event that took place at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
In his address, Dr. Osatimehin said the training was designed to equip participants with both the technical skills and the mental resilience, critical thinking and leadership required to excel in their duties. He noted that the instructors selected were among the best and urged them to take full advantage of the knowledge and experience they bring.
He reminded them that competence without character was dangerous and advised them to keep their focus on the values of loyalty, integrity, accountability and patriotism.
In his own remark, Metchie noted that the NFSS has the capacity to strengthen the country’s security framework, especially in hard-to-reach forested areas. He emphasised the critical role of intelligence in ensuring national security, stressing that forest guards possess valuable on-ground information capable of addressing insecurity in remote regions.
He said that with the NFSS Bill passed by the two chambers of the national assembly, the ball was now in the court of President Bola Tinubu to assent to it, in order for the Service to contribute towards the realisation of his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Metchie also praised Osatimehin’s strategic leadership, particularly for his efforts in pushing for legal recognition of the service and organising capacity-building for its personnel.
One of the special guests at the occasion, Magnus Ibezimako, who is a security and crime mediation expert, said having well-respected personalities like Osatimehin and Metchie as top management members of NFSS, was a testimony that the Service has a great future. He said it was no surprise that the activities of NFSS had been receiving accolades from the public, while mainstream security agencies like the police, military and others had been collaborating with the Service, especially in surveillance and intelligence sharing.