Nigeria’s evolving national security framework has received a significant boost with the formal appointment and decoration of Mr. Nathaniel Msen Awuapila, fspsp, FMTI, as Assistant Commander General (ACG) and Pioneer Director of the Conflict Prevention and Resolution Department (CPRD) of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS). The appointment, which operates under the strategic oversight of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), signals a decisive step toward integrating professional peacebuilding and non-kinetic security strategies into Nigeria’s forest security operations. With this development, a seasoned peacebuilding expert and institutional leader now assumes responsibility for guiding a force estimated at over 450,000 personnel deployed across the country’s 774 Local Government Areas.

Mr. Awuapila brings to the position decades of distinguished service spanning education, social work, humanitarian response, peace work, and high-level administrative leadership. He is widely respected for his tenure as the immediate past President of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP), where he played a pivotal role in strengthening mediation frameworks and professional peacebuilding initiatives across Nigeria. Known for his calm disposition and strategic leadership approach, his appointment reflects strong institutional confidence in his ability to harmonize operational security with conflict prevention mechanisms. Despite the new national responsibility, Awuapila confirmed that he will continue to provide leadership within his professional networks, while relying on the support of senior management structures to ensure operational continuity and strategic alignment.

The appointment derives its authority from the 2025 establishment Act of the NFSS, recently passed by the National Assembly of Nigeria. The legislation empowers the Service to safeguard Nigeria’s vast forest territories, deny criminal elements safe havens, and promote sustainable environmental security across the country. The decoration ceremony, held on March 4, 2026, carried strong national significance and a sense of urgency in addressing emerging security threats within Nigeria’s forests. Speaking at the event, Joshua Wole Osatimehin, Commander General of the NFSS, described the occasion as the beginning of a renewed operational phase for the Service. He praised Awuapila as a disciplined and courageous leader who “leads from the front.”

Reinforcing the expectations surrounding the appointment, the Office the new ACG is charged to deliver measurable results in strengthening national security. “Carry out your duties with patriotic zeal. Nigerians expect results, not excuses,” the directive emphasized. In his inaugural remarks, ACG Awuapila stressed that enforcement alone cannot address Nigeria’s security challenges in ungoverned forest territories. He pledged to reposition the NFSS as a dual-capacity institution, combining robust environmental law enforcement with proactive dialogue, mediation, and intelligence gathering. His strategic roadmap includes establishing a professional training foundation for all NFSS personnel while transforming the Service into a national hub for security intelligence and conflict prevention mechanisms.

The announcement has generated widespread enthusiasm within the peacebuilding community both in Nigeria and internationally. Segun Ogunyanwo, widely regarded as the “Father of Mediation” and a member of the UN Mediation Support Group Nigeria, described the appointment as a moment of “service opportunity at its apogee.” Joining the commendations, Professor Noah Yusuf, immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, described the appointment as a divine reward for selfless service. "This appointment is God's reward for your commitment to the progress of others," Yusuf stated, noting that Awuapila has been a consistent pillar of support.

Professor Chris Kwaja, Country Director of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and Special Envoy to the Executive Governor of Plateau State, remarked that "the reward for success is more work," praying for the grace for the new ACG to make exploits and succeed. The humanitarian sector also joined in the celebration, as Hon. Ephraim Aondowase Kunde, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management in Benue State, expressed immense pride in the appointment, speaking profusely of his joy and offering prayers for continued excellence.

Ardo Hassan Jibo, a Founding Member of the Forum on Farmer and Herder Relations in Nigeria (FFARN) and a Director at the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), also extended a warm message of solidarity. "Our dear brother, congratulations on the well-deserved appointment," Jibo wrote. "I wish you bountiful wisdom and God’s guidance in the discharge of this onerous task. Once more, congratulations and best wishes."

Further endorsements came from senior SPSP members including Muhammad Kudu Abubakar, the Society’s First Vice President; Abaru Simiat, Assistant Secretary-General; and Kyari Saleh Yusufari. Fatima Sa'ad Abubakar, Chairperson of the SPSP Board of Fellows, urged the new ACG to justify the confidence placed in him by strengthening professionalism, vigilance, and ethical standards. Dr. Benjamin Ibietonye, Chairman of the SPSP Rivers State Branch, described the achievement as a testament to Awuapila’s unwavering commitment to peacebuilding and national security. He expressed confidence that Awuapila will bring his wealth of experience and passion for peace to strengthen efforts toward sustainable security across the country.

Additional commendations were expressed by Chucks Obeagu, Ola Raymond, and Chucks Nwoke, who called for unwavering dedication to the mission of national security and sustainable peace. Closing the circle of professional support, Jamaldeen Akanbi, Chairman of the SPSP Oyo State Branch, described the appointment as a strategic milestone in the integration of non-kinetic peacebuilding approaches into Nigeria’s broader security architecture. With the establishment of the Conflict Prevention and Resolution Department, analysts say the Nigeria Forest Security Service is positioning itself not only as a law-enforcement agency but also as a strategic platform for dialogue, mediation, and intelligence-driven peacebuilding within Nigeria’s vast forest corridors.