President Tinubu Approves National Forest Guard System to Tackle Nigeria’s Rising Insecurity
Abuja, Nigeria – In a bold move to address the growing wave of insecurity across the country, President Bola Tinubu has authorized the creation of a national forest guard system, paving the way for the recruitment of over 130,000 armed operatives to safeguard Nigeria’s vast network of 1,129 forest reserves.
The decision, aimed at flushing out terrorists and criminal gangs operating within these areas, was approved during an expanded Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday.
The initiative represents a significant collaborative effort between the federal and state governments, with each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) tasked with recruiting between 2,000 and 5,000 forest guards, depending on their financial and logistical capacities.
This targeted recruitment drive is expected to bolster national security by deploying well-trained and heavily-armed personnel to patrol and secure forested regions, which have increasingly become hotspots for illicit activities such as banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.
According to a statement released by Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, the new forest guards will undergo rigorous training and be equipped with advanced weaponry to effectively carry out their duties.
The statement, titled “Forest Guards Established by Federal Government,” emphasized that the guards’ primary role is to “flush out terrorists and criminal gangs hiding inside the forests for criminal activities.”
“The President directed that the forest guards are to be well-trained and armed to perform their duties,” Dare’s statement read. “This recruitment is a security collaborative effort between the federal and state governments. The office of the NSA and the Ministry of Environment have been directed to take charge and ensure full implementation.”
To oversee the process, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Ministry of Environment have been mandated to supervise both the recruitment and training phases.
A rough projection estimates that if each state recruits an average of 3,500 guards, the total number of new operatives could exceed 130,000, including those for the FCT.
This figure underscores the scale of the operation, which is designed to address the security challenges posed by Nigeria’s expansive forest reserves, spanning diverse ecological zones and serving as potential hideouts for non-state actors.
The announcement comes amid heightened concerns over escalating insecurity in Nigeria, where incidents of attacks in rural and forested areas have disrupted communities, hampered economic activities, and strained national resources.
Experts have long advocated for specialized forces to monitor these vulnerable regions, and President Tinubu’s directive is seen as a proactive step toward enhancing the country’s security architecture.
State governments are now expected to mobilize resources for the recruitment process, with the federal government providing oversight and coordination.
While details on funding and timelines have not been fully disclosed, the initiative is anticipated to create thousands of jobs while simultaneously strengthening law enforcement capabilities.
As Nigeria grapples with multifaceted security threats, this new forest guard system could mark a turning point in the nation’s efforts to reclaim control of its natural landscapes.
Officials from the ONSA and the Ministry of Environment have been urged to expedite the process, ensuring that the recruits are deployable as soon as possible to mitigate ongoing risks.
The full impact of this measure will depend on effective implementation and sustained collaboration between federal and state authorities.
