- Tinubu-Era Security Drive: 7,000 Forest Guards Graduate, Begin Immediate Deployment
- The initiative was launched in May 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
- The Forest Guards are indigenous to their respective local government areas
The Federal Government has graduated more than 7,000 newly recruited Forest Guards drawn from seven frontline states, ordering their immediate deployment to strengthen internal security and flush criminal elements out of Nigeria’s forests.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim, following the completion of a three-month intensive training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative.
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The initiative, launched in May 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, culminated in graduation ceremonies held on December 27, 2025, across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara and Kebbi states.
Coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the programme is designed to deny terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups access to forested and difficult terrains often used as operational hideouts.
According to the Federal Government, the training was deliberately rigorous, blending environmental conservation principles with advanced security skills to produce a disciplined, mission-ready force capable of sustained forest operations. Participants underwent physical and mental conditioning, long-range patrol exercises, tactical fieldcraft, ambush response drills and rescue simulations.
Addressing the graduating guards, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, described the initiative as a critical step toward restoring state authority and safeguarding vulnerable communities.
“These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel. They are first responders, community protectors, and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture,” Ribadu said.
He confirmed that deployment would commence immediately, stressing that there would be no administrative delay between graduation and field operations. Ribadu added that salaries and allowances would begin without interruption as guards proceed directly to their assigned duty posts.
The statement revealed a completion rate of 98.2 per cent, with 81 trainees disqualified on disciplinary grounds, while two others reportedly died from pre-existing medical conditions. All successful participants have been certified and cleared for operational duties.
The Forest Guards are indigenous to their respective local government areas, a strategy the government said would improve terrain familiarity, intelligence gathering and community trust in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and illegal exploitation of forest resources.
The initiative is an inter-agency national security programme led by ONSA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, and operationally coordinated by the Department of State Services and the National Park Service, with strategic support from the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Governors and deputy governors from participating states attended the graduation ceremonies, including Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, Ribadu said the programme would be expanded nationwide.
“By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people,” he said.
