The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has announced the graduation of over 7,000 newly recruited Forest Guards drawn from seven frontline states.

This was disclosed in a statement released by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim, on Saturday.

He said this followed the successful completion of an intensive three-month training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative, launched by Bola Tinubu, GCFR, in May 2025.

According to Ibrahim, the initiative represents a coordinated Federal–State security intervention aimed at reclaiming Nigeria’s forests from criminal exploitation.

The graduation ceremonies were held on 27 December 2025 across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi States.

The programme is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture by denying terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal groups sanctuary within forested and hard-to-reach terrains.

The training programme was deliberately intensive, structured, and demanding, designed to transform loyal and committed Nigerians into agile, disciplined, and capable field operatives. The curriculum integrated environmental conservation principles with advanced security competencies, ensuring a balanced, professional, and mission-ready force.

Ibrahim noted that trainees underwent extensive physical and mental conditioning, including endurance exercises, obstacle-crossing drills, and long-range patrol simulations to prepare them for sustained forest operations.

They were also trained in tactical fieldcraft, including movement techniques, enemy-contact drills, ambush response, rescue operations, and coordinated offensive actions—equipping them to deny criminal elements any form of sanctuary within Nigeria’s forest spaces.

Equally central to the programme, according to the Minister’s aide, was a strong emphasis on ethics, legality, and professionalism. The curriculum placed significant focus on human rights, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), gender rights, and the protection of civilians.

Arms handling and use-of-force protocols were strictly regulated in line with an Arms Management Manual jointly agreed upon by all participating agencies.

Speaking at the ceremonies, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, described the initiative as a decisive step toward restoring state authority and protecting vulnerable communities.

“These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel. They are first responders, community protectors, and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture. They will hold ground, gather intelligence, and support security agencies in reclaiming territories previously overtaken by criminal elements,” he said.

The NSA confirmed that deployment will commence immediately, with no gap between graduation and operational duty.

“There will be no delay between graduation and deployment. Salaries and allowances will commence immediately, and every certified guard will proceed directly to assigned duty posts,” he stated.

The training programme recorded a 98.2 percent completion rate. A total of 81 trainees were disqualified on disciplinary grounds, while two trainees passed away due to pre-existing medical conditions. All successful participants have been fully certified and cleared for operational service.

The graduating Forest Guards are indigenous to their respective local government areas, enabling them to leverage terrain familiarity and community trust in countering banditry, kidnapping, and the illegal exploitation of forest resources.

The Nigerian Forest Guard is an inter-agency national security initiative established under the leadership and strategic guidance of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, and operationally coordinated by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Park Service.

The programme draws doctrine, operational alignment, and strategic input from the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ensuring unity of command, clarity of purpose, and operational effectiveness.

Governors and Deputy Governors from the seven participating states attended the ceremonies, including Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, with other states represented by their Deputy Governors.

Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, the NSA concluded: “By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people. The Federal Government will not relent. This initiative will expand nationwide as part of our sustained effort to build a safer and more secure Nigeria.” (Channels TV, but headline rejigged)

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