No fewer than one thousand forest guards on Saturday passed out in Kwara State following the completion of their training, ahead of their full deployment to check the activities of terrorists, kidnappers, illegal miners, and other criminal elements.
Addressing the gathering, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the initiative as a game changer, noting that it would force terrorists and kidnappers to either leave the state or face severe consequences.
He praised President Bola Tinubu for “thinking out of the box” in reclaiming Nigeria’s forest assets, driving out criminal elements occupying the forests, and boosting public security.
AbdulRazaq also expressed appreciation to the security agencies for their dedication to safeguarding lives, stating that collaboration with the newly formed auxiliary force, drawn entirely from local communities, would further strengthen the fight against terrorists and kidnappers.
“Today (Saturday) opens a new page in our campaign against all forms of terrorism, kidnapping, and opportunist attacks on our people by bad faith actors who exploit our vast territories for evil purposes,” he said.
The ceremony was attended by security chiefs in the state, members of the cabinet, chairpersons of local government councils, traditional rulers, as well as heads of federal and state agencies and tertiary institutions.
“The enlistment of armed forest guards to complement the patriotic efforts of our security forces is a game changer in this campaign. It shows very clearly that the government is committed to the mission of ridding our country of all forms of terrorism, banditry, and kidnappings,” the governor added.
“And the message is very clear: more than ever before, the terrorists now have the option of immediately leaving our state or paying a heavy price.
“Today’s launch of the forest guards simply means that we are going on the offensive because our people deserve their peace as freeborns. We have had enough! Anyone who thinks or acts otherwise is our enemy who will not be spared.
“Distinguished forest guards, you are embarking on a national assignment to protect our people from all criminals in our forests. Working with gallant officers and personnel of the security forces, you are to go all out to flush out the terrorists, restore sanity in our forests, and keep our communities safer than they ever were.
“I commend the President of the Federal Republic for this bold policy response to the security situation in our country and the larger Sahel Region. I thank the leadership of the National Security Adviser for pulling this through. I am also confident that all the security forces will work together with the forest guards to end this menace once and for all.
“More importantly, I urge the people of Kwara State to work with the security forces and the forest guards to flush out the terrorists and make our state uninhabitable for them.
“While the forest guards are auxiliaries under the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Security, I assure you of our continuous support for this initiative just like we have done throughout your training.
“Working with the ONSA, our plan is to ensure that each local government has at least 200 forest guards who will fortify our forests and work with local vigilantes to protect lives and property.
“I congratulate all the new forest guards. I thank you for agreeing to serve our state, and I reassure you of our continuous support as you embark on this important national security assignment.
“Finally, I thank all the security forces who were involved in the rigorous training programme. You all did so well. God bless you.”
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, said the newly trained forest guards would be deployed immediately to vulnerable communities in the pilot states, especially around forested and ungoverned areas.
Ribadu explained that the Presidential Forest Guards initiative is a collaborative programme between the Federal and State Governments, identifying the pilot states as Adamawa, Borno, Kwara, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, and Yobe.
Represented by the Assistant Director-General of the DSS, Femi Shotayo, the NSA added: “Aside from being first responders, these guards are expected to gather actionable human intelligence, support ongoing security operations, and restore state presence where it has long been absent.”
He said the deployment of the guards would commence immediately, alongside the payment of their salaries and allowances.
