Kogi Passes Out 530 Forest Guards, As Ododo Vows To Flush Criminals Out Of Forests

The Kogi State Government on Saturday graduated the pioneer batch of 530 National Forest Guards, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the state’s security architecture and reclaiming forests from criminal elements.

The passing-out parade, held at the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre in Lokoja, attracted top government officials, traditional rulers and heads of security agencies.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by his deputy, Elder Joel Salifu Oyibo, described the establishment of the Forest Guards as a major milestone in the state’s proactive security strategy.

He said the initiative underscored the government’s resolve to move beyond responding to security threats by building institutions capable of preventing crime.

“There comes a defining moment in the life of every society when it must choose between merely reacting to insecurity and deliberately building the institutions that can prevent it.

“Today, Kogi State is making that choice. We are investing in people, strengthening institutions and reinforcing our collective resolve to ensure that our forests remain places of opportunity rather than sanctuaries for criminality,” the governor said.

Ododo expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating the National Forest Guards programme and commended the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for providing strategic leadership for its implementation.

He also acknowledged the support of the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Conservator-General of the National Park Service.

According to him, the federal government approved the recruitment of 539 Forest Guards for Kogi State, with 530 successfully completing eight weeks of intensive training.

The governor urged the graduating personnel to discharge their duties with discipline, professionalism and respect for human rights.

“The uniform you wear is not a symbol of privilege but a symbol of responsibility. Never use it to intimidate or oppress the people. Treat every citizen with dignity, respect traditional institutions and work closely with your communities,” he charged.

He stressed that the effectiveness of the Forest Guards would be measured by the level of public confidence they inspire, the crimes they prevent and the peace they help to sustain, rather than the number of arrests they make.

Ododo reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing logistics and operational support to security agencies, describing the protection of lives and property as a sacred responsibility.

He said forests stretching from Kiri to Iluke, Iyamoye to Obangede, Okene to Lokoja, and Itobe to Ogugu must no longer serve as safe havens for criminal elements.

“Our forests must once again become places of farming, commerce, conservation and lawful enterprise,” he said, while calling on traditional rulers, community leaders, youth and women groups to support the Forest Guards with timely intelligence.

Representing the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Director of Defence Affairs, Maj.-Gen. Hillary Mabeokwu, described the passing-out parade as a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen forest security.

He commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for the successful training of the personnel and expressed satisfaction with the practical demonstrations displayed by the graduands.

He announced that salaries and allowances of the newly recruited Forest Guards would commence immediately and urged their prompt deployment to communities across the state.

The National Training Coordinator said the personnel received intensive training in forest preservation, drone operations for surveillance, GPS technology for tracking and other modern security techniques.

A major highlight of the ceremony was a tactical drama presentation by the graduands depicting the arrest of illegal loggers and the neutralisation of criminal elements operating within forest reserves.

Speaking on behalf of the graduating officers, Olufemi Okeowo expressed appreciation to the Kogi State Government, traditional rulers and local government chairmen for the opportunity to serve.

The ceremony ended with the inspection of the guard of honour by the deputy governor and the administration of the oath of allegiance on the new Forest Guards.