FG expands forest guards initiative to 10 states, trains personnel

Nigeria's Federal Government has significantly expanded its Presidential Forest Guards Initiative, extending it to 10 states and training more than 9,000 personnel. The program is designed to enhance security in forests and other ungoverned areas frequently exploited by criminal elements, including kidnappers and bandits.

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The Presidential Forest Guards Initiative has been expanded to 10 states, with over 9,000 personnel trained to help secure forests and other areas used by kidnappers, bandits and armed groups.

The latest phase of the initiative focuses on Kaduna, Edo, and Kogi states, where over 2,000 forest guards have completed their training. These guards are now prepared for deployment to identified security flashpoints. The program is a collaborative effort, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and implemented under the operational leadership of the Department of State Services, with support from various national security agencies.

This expansion follows the successful training of over 7,000 forest guards in Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi states. A key aspect of the initiative is the recruitment of personnel from communities directly impacted by insecurity. These individuals possess intimate knowledge of local terrains, including forests, footpaths, rivers, and routes, which is invaluable for surveillance and intelligence gathering.

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Many of the recruits were selected from communities affected by kidnapping, banditry and related security challenges. They have extensive knowledge of forests, footpaths, rivers, remote settlements and routes connecting communities and states.

The government anticipates that the guards' familiarity with the environment will bolster security operations, particularly in areas that might be challenging for external security forces to access. All recruits undergo rigorous screening, background checks, and security vetting to ensure their suitability and confirm their identities and community standing. The training equips them with essential skills in arms handling, navigation, field craft, patrol operations, intelligence gathering, and forest protection.

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The government expects their knowledge of the terrain to improve surveillance and intelligence gathering. It is also expected to help security agencies identify routes and locations that may be difficult for personnel deployed from outside the affected communities to access.