Bureaucratic hurdles and inter-agency disagreements may be slowing down the recruitment of forest guards approved by President Bola Tinubu, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

Reliable sources told our correspondent that the delay was causing serious concern for stakeholders especially as insecurity had continued to worsen.

President Tinubu in May 2025 approved the recruitment under the renewed national forest policing initiative aimed at curbing banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, particularly in forested and rural communities.

He directed each state to recruit between 2,000 and 5,000 forest guards.

The initiative followed a meeting between the President and state governors in February 2024, during which both tiers of government agreed to recruit forest rangers and invest in training and logistics.

On December 10, Tinubu further directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to expedite the training and arming of the forest guards as part of intensified efforts to address worsening insecurity nationwide.

However, more than seven months after the directive, the scheme has yet to take off.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the NSA’s office and the Department of State Services, which are jointly responsible for coordinating and implementing the recruitment, had not agreed on a clear operational framework.

A senior official of the Nigeria Forest Security Service, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that the optimism generated by the presidential announcement had faded.

“We were all excited when the recruitment plan was announced, but that excitement is wearing off because there has been no clear communication. The delay is largely due to bureaucratic bottlenecks within the NSA and the DSS.

“There are several administrative clearances and inter-agency procedures that must be completed. The challenge has been translating the directive into action because of multiple layers of approval, documentation and coordination among security institutions,” the official said.

Warning that the delay was heightening anxiety in communities vulnerable to attacks, the source added, “There is growing agitation from communities across the country. Insecurity is worsening, especially in areas surrounded by forests that have become safe havens for bandits and kidnappers. Without trained forest guards on the ground, criminals continue to exploit these gaps.”

The official also dismissed reports that recruitment had secretly commenced.

“About two weeks ago, there were reports that recruitment had started quietly, but that is not true. Top officials in the NSA invited our commander and asked him to issue a rejoinder to debunk the report,” he said.

Similarly, the National Secretary of the Professional Hunters Association of Nigeria, Igyem Dalandi, attributed the de’ay to the absence of a clear framework defining recruitment procedures and salary responsibilities between the Federal and state governments.

He said the uncertainty had affected existing forest guards, hunters and other local security actors expected to be integrated into the scheme.

“There is already an existing forest guard structure. What the President likely meant was to reactivate and strengthen it, not necessarily create an entirely new organisation. That is why hunters are also stranded,” Dalandi said.

He added that the association had not been consulted on recruitment or remuneration.

“As of now, the government has not reached out to us. We have not been carried along or contacted for our input,” Dalandi said.

He also expressed concern that the initiative might be taken over by state governments.

“Many governors are already pushing their own security outfits as forest guards. In Plateau State, for instance, people are currently undergoing training at the Civil Defence training school, with their passing-out scheduled for this Saturday,” Dalandi said.

According to him, hunters, vigilantes and paramilitary groups are already being trained under state arrangements, raising fears that the original federal plan could be sidelined.

Reacting, the Commander General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, Joshua Osatimehin, said the delay was due to the need for careful planning and coordination.

He said, “Security issues must be handled cautiously to avoid aggravating existing problems. All relevant agencies are working to resolve the bureaucratic bottlenecks.”

Osatimehin noted that the initiative required input from the military, police and other security agencies to ensure effectiveness.

“This is a security outfit in the making, and all stakeholders must be properly aligned. Nigerians should expect a more consolidated and pragmatic approach very soon,” he said.

Acknowledging public concern, Osatimehin urged patience, insisting that the Federal Government remained committed to the initiative.

“People are agitated because of the level of insecurity. But they should give the government more time. The President has approved the initiative; the responsible agencies must now ensure it is implemented properly,” he added.

Calls to the phone line of the NSA’s spokesman, Ismail Garba, indicated that it was switched off, while messages sent to him had yet to be responded to as of the time of filing this report. (Sunday PUNCH)

Update news