States Rush to Deploy Forest Guards as Insecurity Deepens
Multiple Nigerian states are rushing to deploy forest guards as insecurity deepens across the country, marking a significant expansion of the federal government's Presidential Forest Guards Initiative. The programme was launched by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025 as part of renewed efforts to tackle nationwide insecurity, and has already yielded fruits with over 7,000 newly recruited Nigerian Forest Guards graduating following successful completion of an intensive three-month training programme. Kwara State has deployed nearly 1,000 newly trained forest guards to its hinterlands, declaring war on terrorists and kidnappers exploiting the state's wooded terrain. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq delivered a blunt message to criminal elements at a passing-out parade in Ilorin: their days of using Kwara's forests as a sanctuary are over, with plans to station at least 200 guards in each of the state's 17 local government areas. The Office […]