The Nation Newspaper

Tag: forest guards

  • FG deploys 7,000 newly trained forest guards to strengthen security

    FG deploys 7,000 newly trained forest guards to strengthen security

    The federal government has announced the immediate deployment of 7,000 newly recruited forest guards, The Nation has learnt

    The recruits, drawn from seven frontline states, completed an intensive three-month training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative, launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in May 2025.

    According to a statement by Rabiu Ibrahim, media aide to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the graduation ceremonies were held on December 27, 2025, across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi States.

    The programme aims to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security by denying terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal groups sanctuary within forests and hard-to-reach terrains.

    The training was deliberately intensive, structured, and designed to transform committed Nigerians into agile, disciplined, and mission-ready operatives. The curriculum combined environmental conservation principles with advanced security skills.

    Trainees underwent rigorous physical and mental conditioning, including endurance exercises, obstacle drills, long-range patrol simulations, and tactical fieldcraft such as movement techniques, ambush response, rescue operations, and coordinated offensive actions.

    Emphasis was also placed on ethics, legality, and professionalism, with modules on human rights, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), gender rights, and civilian protection. Arms handling and use-of-force protocols were strictly regulated according to the jointly agreed Arms Management Manual.

    Speaking at the ceremonies, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu described the initiative as a decisive step toward restoring state authority and safeguarding vulnerable communities across Nigeria.

    “These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel. They are first responders, community protectors, and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture. They will hold ground, gather intelligence, and support security agencies in reclaiming territories previously overtaken by criminal elements.

    The NSA confirmed that deployment will commence immediately, with no gap between graduation and operational duty.

    “There will be no delay between graduation and deployment. Salaries and allowances will commence immediately, and every certified guard will proceed directly to assigned duty posts,” he stated.

    The training programme recorded a 98.2 percent completion rate. A total of 81 trainees were disqualified on disciplinary grounds, while two trainees passed away due to pre-existing medical conditions. All successful participants have been fully certified and cleared for operational service.

    The graduating Forest Guards are indigenous to their respective local government areas, enabling them to leverage terrain familiarity and community trust in countering banditry, kidnapping, and the illegal exploitation of forest resources.

    The Nigerian Forest Guard is an inter-agency national security initiative established under the leadership and strategic guidance of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, and operationally coordinated by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Park Service. The programme draws doctrine, operational alignment, and strategic input from the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—ensuring unity of command, clarity of purpose, and operational effectiveness.

    Governors and Deputy Governors from the seven participating states attended the ceremonies, including Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, with other states represented by their Deputy Governors. 

    Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, the NSA concluded, “By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people. The Federal Government will not relent. This initiative will expand nationwide as part of our sustained effort to build a safer and more secure Nigeria.”

  • Tinubu approves recruitment of armed forest guards to reclaim forests

    Tinubu approves recruitment of armed forest guards to reclaim forests

    In a decisive move to bolster national security and reclaim Nigeria’s vast forestlands from criminal elements, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment and deployment of a new unit of forest guards. 

    The initiative, announced on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, is aimed at flushing out terrorists and criminal gangs who have used Nigeria’s 1,129 forests as safe havens.

    According to Dare’s verified X handle, @SundayDareSD, the recruitment drive will be carried out through a coordinated effort between the federal and state governments, with oversight provided by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Ministry of Environment.

    The President directed that the new forest guards be professionally trained and properly armed to meet the security challenges within the country’s forests, many of which have been exploited by kidnappers, bandits, and insurgents in recent years.

    Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to securing every inch of Nigerian territory, declaring that no part of the country would be abandoned to lawlessness.

    “To secure the country’s forests, President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of forest guards to secure Nigeria’s 1,129 forests.

    “In a statement posted on X by Special Adviser Sunday Dare, the President directed that the forest guards be well trained and armed to flush out terrorists and criminal gangs hiding in the forests.

    “The recruitment is a joint effort between federal and state governments.

    “The Office of the National Security Adviser and the Ministry of Environment will oversee full implementation.

    “Thousands of young Nigerians are expected to be employed for the initiative.

    “President Tinubu reiterated that his administration will not surrender any part of Nigeria’s territory to criminals, vowing to take back the forests,” the statement reads 

    This latest security initiative is part of the Tinubu administration’s broader strategy to address the root causes of insecurity while simultaneously providing employment opportunities for the country’s teeming youth population.

    The recruitment process is expected to begin soon, with details on application and training to be jointly released by the supervising agencies. 

    The initiative is also seen as a way of complementing existing security operations and environmental protection strategies.

    As security agencies ramp up efforts to regain control over ungoverned spaces, the forest guard program adds a critical layer of localized security—one that experts hope will help reduce the operational reach of criminal networks and restore public confidence in rural and peri-urban areas.