The Federal Government has unveiled a National Forest Guard initiative to secure all 1,129 forests across Nigeria from terrorists, bandits, and criminal syndicates.
The plan, announced on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Sunday Dare.
He said the move arks a decisive step in President Bola Tinubu’s security agenda, which he said aims to reclaim national territory from violent non-state actors.
According to Dare, recruitment and deployment of forest guards are to begin immediately.
The operatives, who will be fully trained and armed, are tasked with flushing out criminal elements who use the country’s vast forest reserves as safe havens for illegal activities.
“This is a joint security effort between the federal and state governments,” Dare said.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Ministry of Environment have been directed to ensure the full and swift implementation of the initiative.”
He also revealed that thousands of young Nigerians are expected to be employed under the programme — a move that combines security with job creation.
President Tinubu, who had earlier vowed not to cede “an inch of Nigerian territory” to criminals, has reiterated his administration’s determination to restore peace and order to the nation’s forests.
The National Forest Guard initiative comes amid rising concerns over the use of remote forests by armed groups to launch attacks on rural communities and major roadways, particularly in the North and Middle Belt regions.
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