No fewer than 8,000 hunters operating under the umbrella of the Nigeria Forest Security Service, NFSS, on Monday declared support for the re-election bid of Bola Tinubu in 2027 and the governorship ambition of Bola Oyebamiji ahead of the 2026 governorship election in Osun State.

The endorsement was announced during a meeting held with leaders of the All Progressives Congress at the Tinubu/Shettima campaign office in Osogbo.

The hunters also appealed to President Tinubu to assent to the NFSS bill already passed by the 10th National Assembly, saying the move would strengthen the country’s security framework in tackling terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.

Speaking on behalf of Oyebamiji, Executive Director of Project Implementation at the Federal Housing Authority, Omowaiye Oluremi, expressed concern over what he described as worsening insecurity in the state.

According to him, security challenges have increased in Osun in recent years, citing communal clashes, kidnappings and politically linked violence in several communities.

He said the state security structure had weakened, adding that residents were increasingly exposed to threats, including abductions and ransom demands.

Omowaiye further alleged that the state-owned security outfit had been politicised, insisting that security should remain a collective responsibility rather than a partisan matter.

He assured the hunters that if Oyebamiji emerges victorious, they would be integrated into the state’s security framework, especially if state policing becomes operational.

Coordinator of the hunters, Hammed Nurein, formally moved the motion endorsing Tinubu and Oyebamiji, which was unanimously supported by members of the group through voice vote.

Nurein said the decision reflected the collective position of the group’s 8,000 members across Osun State.

He added that the hunters believed signing the NFSS bill into law would boost federal efforts in addressing insecurity nationwide.

Also speaking, Kehinde Ayantunji, a former Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Affairs and Social Mobilisation, urged APC members to intensify mobilisation ahead of the governorship election.

He charged party supporters to remain committed to securing victory in the 2026 poll, stressing the need for vigilance and grassroots mobilisation.