President Bola Tinubu has taken the war against terrorism to their hideout with the approval of armed forest guards across the country.
Under the National Security adviser’s office, the forest guard security forces will engage thousands of Nigerian youths.
President Tinubu said establishing the armed forest guard is a bold move to reclaim Nigeria’s vast forestlands from criminal elements and strengthen national security.
The initiative, unveiled on Wednesday night by special adviser to the president on media and public communication, Sunday Dare, seeks to drive terrorists, kidnappers, and other criminal gangs out of Nigeria’s 1,129 forest zones, which have become notorious hideouts in recent years.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle (@SundayDareSD), Dare said the new forest guard corps would be professionally trained and fully armed, and the federal and state governments would jointly undertake recruitment.
The implementation will be coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Federal Ministry of Environment.
This initiative is described as multi-layered security and environmental protection.
“The President directed that the forest guards be well-trained and armed to flush out terrorists and criminal gangs hiding in the forests,” Dare said. “The recruitment is a joint effort between federal and state governments, while ONSA and the Ministry of Environment will oversee full implementation.”
Thousands of young Nigerians are expected to be engaged under the programme, which aligns with the administration’s push to tackle unemployment while restoring peace to Nigeria’s rural and semi-urban communities.
President Tinubu reiterated his firm resolve not to allow any part of Nigeria to remain under the control of non-state actors, declaring that “no inch of Nigerian territory will be surrendered to criminals.”
Sign Security Bill, Senate urges Tinubu
Meanwhile, the Senate has called on President Bola Tinubu to promptly assent to the Nigerian Forest Security Service (Establishment) Bill, 2025, recently passed by the National Assembly.
The Senate describes it as crucial to curbing rising insecurity in Nigeria’s forested and rural areas.
The resolution was reached during Thursday’s plenary, following two motions sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro and Senator Sunday Karimi.
The motions also condemned escalating violence in parts of Kogi and Benue States.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly expressed deep concern over the abduction of His Royal Highness, Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The monarch was reportedly kidnapped by armed assailants who invaded his palace at about midnight on May 15, firing shots before whisking him to an unknown location.
Senators also decried deadly attacks on Akpete and Ojantele communities in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, where suspected herdsmen killed over a dozen residents in coordinated assaults on May 1 and 7, respectively.
Calling for immediate security interventions, the Senate urged the federal government to deploy all necessary security resources to secure the release of the abducted monarch and protect vulnerable communities.
Moro further suggested that the pending forest security bill could be revisited to integrate President Tinubu’s proposed Forest Guard initiative, which aims to address insecurity through a specialised security force for forests and remote regions.
The recent attacks in Benue and the abduction of a traditional ruler in Kogi highlight the urgent need to operationalise the Forest Security Service. We must protect rural communities,” Senator Moro said.
Outfit must be free of political interference – Northern Youths
However, in reaction to the new security initiative, the Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has called on President Bola Tinubu, the national security adviser, and relevant ministries to protect the newly revitalised Forest Guard from political meddling.
In a statement on Thursday, NCYP Chairman Isaac Abrak called on the federal government to safeguard the integrity of the security outfit, warning that it could be the country’s last line of defence against insecurity.
The NCYP stressed that recruitment into the Forest Guard must prioritise residents from Nigeria’s 1,129 forest areas.
“Their familiarity with the terrain gives them a unique advantage in combating criminal elements,” Abrak said, insisting that a transparent and depoliticised recruitment process is critical to the initiative’s success.
It cautioned against turning the Forest Guard into a tool for political patronage or enlisting individuals with questionable backgrounds.
The NCYP urged the government to involve community leaders and security agencies, such as the Department of State Services (DSS), in vetting candidates thoroughly to ensure that only those committed to protecting their communities should be recruited.
It said during training, recruits must be instilled with values of patriotism, discipline, and national unity.
The group commended President Tinubu for fulfilling his promise to revitalise the Forest Guard, a key campaign issue for the NCYP across northern Nigeria.
“We are grateful that this vision is being realised,” Abrak said.
Forest Guards, Sign Tinubu Fully In Charge, Says Arewa Think Tank
On its part, a Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT), has noted that President Bola Tinubu’s recent approval of the establishment of armed forest guards to secure the nation’s forests against terrorism shows that the President is creative, in full charge of the country, and has a large heart for the well-being of the citizenry.
In a statement, the ATT convener, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said President Tinubu’s bold step was unprecedented in Nigeria’s history.
Yakubu also called on all the state governors to emulate President Tinubu and work together to rid the country of terrorists and their nefarious activities.
“We are excited following the approval given by President Bola Tinubu for the establishment of armed forest guards to secure Nigeria’s 1,129 forests from terrorists and criminal gangs.
“We must say with the air of pride and satisfaction that we now have a President who is very close to the people, who does not detach himself from the people he is governing, who is feeling the pulse of the nation and providing remedy to it.
“We must also say that Mr. President’s move is unprecedented and creative. We urge him to keep it up for the benefit of the people,” he said.
Arewa Think Tank called for care in recruiting the operatives of the new security outfit.
“We therefore advise that recruiting these guards should be a collaborative security effort between the federal and state governments…
“Once again, we want to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to support Tinubu’s government in whichever way possible so that Nigeria as a nation can take back its forests from the terrorists,” the statement said.
I am ready to fight bandits in the forest — Bauchi Gov
In the wake of a deadly bandit attack in Mansur, Alkaleri local government of Bauchi State, Governor Bala Mohammed has declared that he was ready to personally confront the bandits in the bush if necessary.
Governor Mohammed said during a condolence visit to the affected communities in Duguri on Thursday.
With tension still high in Bauchi’s affected communities, Governor Mohammed’s message was unequivocal: “We will not fold our arms. I am ready to fight bandits in the forest.
“I am ready to remove my Babban riga and fight these bandits in the forest because I am the Kaura of Sokoto Caliphate and Kaura of Bauchi.”
In a bold counteroffensive, Governor Mohammed ordered the immediate recruitment of 2,100 state security operatives.
LEADERSHIP reports that bandits ambushed vigilantes who were members of the Professional Hunters Association of Nigeria while on a routine patrol in Mansur a couple of days ago, killing over 20.
The attacks, which struck the communities of Mansur, Gwana, Duguri, and Yelwa Duguri, sent shock waves to the residents and prompted swift action from the state government and security agencies.
“Nigeria has been invaded in our area. Unfortunately, that is where I come from. This period is a test. Despite their superior firepower, our people stood firm. Over 60 bandits were neutralised in a fierce battle,” he said.
Flanked by local leaders and security officials, the governor praised the heroism of local vigilantes and announced an aggressive plan to bolster community defences.
He immediately committed to recruiting between 300 and 500 operatives, part of a larger plan to employ 2,100 vigilantes by year’s end, who will be on the state’s payroll and trained by security agencies.
“These young, able-bodied men will be trained on the rules of engagement to avoid extrajudicial actions. We must remain lawful but determined,” he emphasised.
Governor Mohammed also strongly warned informants aiding bandit operations, calling on traditional rulers to identify and expose them.
“Informants are giving us away. They must be fished out and dealt with decisively,” he warned.
The governor announced financial aid to victims’ families. He gifted N5 million to each family of the fallen vigilantes and N3 million to each bereaved civilian family.
Governor Mohammed also donated N10 million to the Professional Hunters Association to strengthen their ongoing operations.
The governor also revealed the forthcoming federal assistance, noting that the Office of the National Security Adviser was set to boost security support to the state.
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