Eshioromeh Sebastian in Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria has immediately deployed over 7,000 newly graduated Forest Guards to seven frontline states.
The deployment, effective Saturday, December 27, 2025, is a core component of the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2025.
The strategic operation aims to deny terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements sanctuary within the nation’s vast and often ungoverned forest reserves.
The graduation and swift operational rollout were coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The guards, recruited from and indigenous to local communities across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi States, have just completed an intensive three-month training programme designed to transform them into a disciplined, agile, and professional force.
National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, who presided over the graduation ceremonies, confirmed the immediate nature of the deployment.
“There will be no delay between graduation and deployment. Salaries and allowances will commence immediately, and every certified guard will proceed directly to assigned duty posts,” Ribadu stated.
He described the newly deployed personnel as “first responders, community protectors, and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture,” with a mandate to hold ground, gather vital intelligence, and support conventional security agencies in reclaiming territories.
The training regimen was meticulously structured to prepare the recruits for the harsh demands of sustained forest operations. It integrated tactical security competencies with environmental conservation principles.
Trainees underwent extensive physical and mental conditioning, including endurance exercises and long-range patrol simulations. Their tactical curriculum covered movement techniques, enemy-contact drills, ambush response, rescue operations, and coordinated offensive actions.
Paramount to their preparation was a strong emphasis on ethics, legality, and professionalism, with significant focus on human rights, International Humanitarian Law, and strict, regulated protocols for arms handling and use of force.
The Nigerian Forest Guard is an inter-agency initiative established under the strategic guidance of the NSA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, and is operationally coordinated by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Park Service.
The programme benefits from the doctrinal and strategic input of the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ensuring a unified command structure and operational coherence.
The training programme recorded a 98.2 percent completion rate. While 81 trainees were disqualified on disciplinary grounds and two passed away due to pre-existing medical conditions, the overwhelming majority have been certified for service.
Their deep-rooted familiarity with their local terrain and communities is considered a fundamental tactical advantage, expected to foster trust and enhance local intelligence gathering crucial for countering banditry, kidnapping, and illegal resource exploitation.
Governors and Deputy Governors from the participating states attended the graduation ceremonies, highlighting the collaborative federal-state approach of the security initiative.
Reaffirming the government’s strategic commitment, NSA Ribadu concluded, “By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people. The Federal Government will not relent. This initiative will expand nationwide as part of our sustained effort to build a safer and more secure Nigeria.”
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