AWC Security Desk
In a decisive push to strengthen internal security and deny criminal elements safe havens, the Federal Government has graduated over 7,000 Forest Guards and commenced their immediate deployment across seven frontline states battling terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
The graduation ceremonies, held on Friday, December 27, 2025, took place simultaneously in Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara and Kebbi States, marking a major milestone in the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in May 2025.
The programme, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), is aimed at reclaiming Nigeria’s vast forests and hard-to-reach terrains that have long served as hideouts for terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.
Speaking at the ceremonies, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, described the initiative as a strategic security intervention designed to complement existing security agencies. He said the newly trained Forest Guards would function as first responders and community protectors, helping to secure rural communities and prevent criminal groups from regrouping in forested areas.
According to Ribadu, the guards underwent three months of intensive training, covering physical conditioning, tactical manoeuvres, long-range patrols, ambush response, rescue operations and field intelligence. He stressed that the programme placed strong emphasis on discipline, professionalism, respect for human rights and the protection of civilians.
“The Forest Guards are a critical layer in our national security architecture. They will support the Armed Forces and other security agencies in reclaiming territories that criminals have taken advantage of for too long,” Ribadu said.
He confirmed that deployment would begin immediately, adding that salaries and allowances would be paid promptly to sustain morale and operational effectiveness. Governors and Deputy Governors from the participating states, who attended the ceremonies, pledged full logistical and administrative support to ensure the success of the initiative.
Security analysts see the Forest Guards programme as a bold attempt by the Tinubu administration to address security gaps in ungoverned spaces, particularly forests that cut across state boundaries and have remained difficult to police.
With the graduation and deployment now underway, the Federal Government says the initiative represents a clear signal of its resolve to restore state authority, protect communities and degrade the operational capacity of terrorists and other violent criminal networks nationwide.
