FG Launches 7,000 Forest Guards to Strengthen Security in Vulnerable States
The Federal Government has announced its readiness to deploy 7,000 forest guards across seven pilot states as part of efforts to tackle insecurity linked to ungoverned forest areas.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, made the disclosure on Saturday in Yola, Adamawa State, during the graduation ceremony of the newly trained forest guards. He assured Nigerians of the government’s commitment to restoring security in vulnerable communities.
“We are fully aware of Nigerians’ concerns about insecurity across the country. Accordingly, the newly trained Forest Guards will be deployed immediately to all the beleaguered communities in the highlighted states, particularly around forested and ungoverned spaces,” Ribadu stated.
The guards, who completed a rigorous three-month training program, will gather human intelligence, support existing security operations, and help restore government presence in areas where it has been limited. Their training included endurance exercises, obstacle-crossing drills, and long-range patrol simulations to prepare them for sustained forest operations.
The seven pilot states Adamawa, Borno, Kwara, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, and Yobe will host the initial deployment, with plans for nationwide expansion as additional recruits complete training.
The Presidential Forest Guards initiative, launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May, is a collaboration between the federal and state governments. Training was coordinated by personnel from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, NSCDC, National Park Service, and National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Ribadu emphasized that the core mandate of the forest guards is to combat b@nditry, insurgency, terrorism, and other cr+minal activities in forested areas. He added, “Processes have commenced to train new batches across additional states, ensuring rapid expansion and comprehensive national coverage.”