Nigerian states are rapidly scaling up deployment of forest guards under a federal-backed security initiative aimed at denying armed groups access to forest reserves increasingly used as operational hideouts by bandits and kidnappers.
The expansion spans multiple states including Kebbi, Gombe, Kwara, Kaduna, Edo, Imo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Katsina and Kano, though implementation remains uneven nationwide amid coordination and capacity challenges.
The renewed push follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for the recruitment of forest guards after a surge in attacks and abductions linked to suspected armed groups in parts of Oyo and Kwara States.
The initiative is part of a broader national strategy to strengthen rural security and improve surveillance across Nigeria’s vast forest corridors, which security agencies say have become critical operational zones for criminal networks.
President Tinubu has repeatedly reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to intensifying counter-insurgency and anti-banditry operations while ensuring the rescue of citizens held in captivity.
Kebbi Leads Deployment With 819 Guards
In Kebbi State, authorities have deployed 819 newly trained National Forest Guards following a nine-week training programme in Kalgo Local Government Area.
Deputy Governor Umar Tafida said the operatives would be deployed to “deny criminal groups access to forest reserves used as hideouts,” adding that traditional rulers and communities are expected to support intelligence gathering.
Representing the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Commissioner of Police Umar Hadejia said Kebbi was among seven pilot states selected for the programme.
He said the guards would be deployed to “ungoverned spaces and vulnerable forest corridors” to complement existing security forces.
Gombe, Kwara Scale Up Recruitment and Funding
In Gombe State, about 700 recruits are undergoing specialised training at the Mobile Police Training School in Osun State, according to government officials.
The state has reportedly approved ₦337 million for the programme, which includes surveillance, intelligence gathering and forest security operations.
In Kwara State, the government says it has deployed about 3,300 forest guards under the Presidential Forest Guards initiative.
More than 700 operatives are already active across Kwara North and South, while an additional 2,600 recruits are undergoing advanced tactical training.
Officials say the expansion is aimed at strengthening rural coverage and supporting security agencies in counter-banditry operations.
Kaduna, Katsina and Kano Strengthen Rural Security
Kaduna State has begun training 1,000 forest guards, drawn largely from high-risk communities across the state.
Governor Uba Sani said the operatives will serve as “first-line intelligence assets” and work closely with security agencies in flashpoint areas such as Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kagarko and Kajuru.
In Katsina, authorities have recruited 70 forest guards under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, tasked with protecting reserves and monitoring illegal activities.
Kano State has also recruited 150 forest guards, deployed across six operational zones including Dambatta, Bichi, Gwarzo, Tudun Wada, Wudil and Kano metropolitan areas.
Officials say the programme is designed to secure forest reserves while also addressing environmental risks such as deforestation and desertification.
Mixed Approaches Across States
In Ekiti State, forest guards have been integrated into existing security structures, working alongside the military, police, and Amotekun Corps in coordinated bush-combing operations.
However, Ondo State says it has no plans to adopt the federal forest guard model, citing the expansion of its own Amotekun Corps, which is undergoing additional recruitment.
In Imo State, more than 400 forest guards and vigilante operatives have already been trained and deployed to high-risk forest zones, supporting joint operations with security agencies.
Bayelsa operates a hybrid model combining forest security enforcement and environmental conservation, while Anambra integrates forest guards into its broader Homeland Security Law framework.
Delta State’s forest security structure is active across all 25 local government areas but remains constrained by logistics and mobility challenges.
Concerns Over Mandate and Operational Limits
Despite the rapid expansion, some security experts warn that forest guards must not be deployed beyond their mandate.
Retired security officials, including Sokoto State security adviser Col. Ahmed Usman (rtd), cautioned that forest guards should focus on surveillance, intelligence gathering and environmental protection rather than frontline combat roles.
He stressed that complex counter-terrorism operations should remain the responsibility of the military and police.
States Yet to Fully Roll Out Programme
Several states, including Zamfara, Rivers, Abia, Osun, Lagos and Benue, have yet to fully commence recruitment, citing funding constraints, operational uncertainty, or awaiting federal guidelines.
Zamfara officials said the state is ready but awaiting formal approval, while Osun State says it is preparing a broader security structure combining forest guards with other local security groups.
Security Context and National Strategy
The expansion comes amid sustained insecurity in rural Nigeria, where forests have become strategic shelters for armed groups carrying out kidnappings, cattle rustling and attacks on farming communities.
The federal government says the initiative is designed to improve early warning systems, strengthen intelligence gathering, and deny criminals access to difficult-to-patrol terrain.
President Tinubu has reiterated that Nigeria “will never succumb to terror or banditry,” while urging security agencies to intensify operations to secure communities and protect national territory.
Outlook
Analysts say the forest guard initiative represents one of the most ambitious attempts in recent years to decentralise rural security in Nigeria, but its effectiveness will depend on coordination between federal and state authorities, training standards, and sustained funding.
As deployment expands, attention is now shifting to whether the new force can effectively complement existing security agencies in restoring stability to Nigeria’s increasingly volatile rural and forested regions.