President Bola Tinubu has approved the creation of a new security initiative involving armed forest guards, aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s 1,129 forests from terrorists, bandits, and criminal gangs. This move comes as part of the federal government’s broader strategy to reclaim national territories increasingly used as hideouts for illicit activities.
The development was disclosed on Wednesday by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, via his official X (formerly Twitter) account. Dare noted that the guards will be specially trained and equipped to undertake their core mandate of flushing out criminals who have turned forests into bases for unlawful operations.
The recruitment and deployment of the forest guards will be a joint effort between the federal and state governments. According to Dare, thousands of young Nigerians are expected to be employed under the new security outfit, contributing to both national security and job creation.
Oversight and implementation of the initiative will be handled by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment. Both institutions have been tasked with ensuring that the forest guard scheme is fully operational and effectively managed.
President Tinubu has consistently expressed a hardline stance against criminal elements operating within Nigeria’s forests. In a recent warning, he declared that his administration would not cede “an inch of the country’s territory” to terrorists or criminal gangs. “We will take back our forests,” the President vowed, reinforcing the urgency and seriousness of the latest measure.
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