FG Graduates Over 7,000 Forest Guards, Sets Stage for Decisive Battle Against Insecurity
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
December 28, 2025
The Federal Government has taken a major step in its renewed fight against insecurity with the graduation of over 7,000 newly recruited Forest Guards, marking a significant expansion of Nigeria’s internal security framework and a coordinated effort to reclaim forests long exploited by criminal elements.
The graduation, conducted through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), followed the successful completion of an intensive three-month training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative, launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2025. The initiative is a joint Federal–State intervention designed to deny terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and illegal loggers access to forested and hard-to-reach areas across the country.
- Advertisement -
Ceremonies were simultaneously held on December 27, 2025, in seven frontline states—Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi—reflecting the strategic importance of these regions in Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges.
According to SolaceBase, the training programme was deliberately rigorous, structured, and mission-focused, aimed at transforming committed Nigerians into disciplined, agile, and professional field operatives. Beyond combat readiness, the curriculum integrated environmental protection and conservation principles, underscoring the dual mandate of the Forest Guards: securing forest territories while preserving natural resources.
The trainees underwent intensive physical and mental conditioning, including endurance drills, obstacle-crossing exercises, and long-range patrol simulations to prepare them for sustained operations in difficult terrain. They were also trained in tactical fieldcraft such as stealth movement, ambush response, rescue missions, intelligence gathering, and coordinated offensive actions—skills considered critical to dismantling criminal networks operating within forest corridors.
A strong emphasis was placed on ethics, legality, and professionalism.
Training modules covered human rights, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), gender sensitivity, and civilian protection. Arms handling and rules of engagement were governed by a strictly enforced Arms Management Manual, jointly adopted by all participating security agencies, to ensure accountability and prevent abuse.
Speaking at the graduation ceremonies, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, described the initiative as a decisive move to restore state authority and protect vulnerable communities across the country.
“These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel,” Ribadu said. “They are first responders, community protectors, and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture. They will hold ground, gather intelligence, and support conventional security agencies in reclaiming territories that were previously overtaken by criminal elements.”
He further confirmed that deployment would begin immediately, with no transition gap between graduation and active duty.
“There will be no delay between graduation and deployment. Salaries and allowances will commence immediately, and every certified guard will proceed directly to their assigned duty posts,” the NSA assured.
Out of the total recruits, the programme recorded a 98.2 percent completion rate. Eighty-one trainees were disqualified on disciplinary grounds, while two others reportedly died due to pre-existing medical conditions. All remaining participants have been fully certified and cleared for operational service.
A key strength of the initiative lies in its community-based approach. The graduating Forest Guards are indigenous to their respective local government areas, a strategy intended to enhance terrain familiarity, local intelligence gathering, and trust between security operatives and host communities.
The Nigerian Forest Guard programme is an inter-agency national security initiative established under the strategic leadership of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment. Operational coordination is provided by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Park Service, with doctrine and strategic input from the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). This multi-agency framework is designed to ensure unity of command, operational coherence, and sustained effectiveness.
Governors and Deputy Governors from the participating states attended the graduation ceremonies, including Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, while other states were represented by their Deputy Governors. The presence of state leaders underscored the collaborative nature of the initiative and the shared responsibility for addressing insecurity.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s resolve, Ribadu concluded with a strong message of commitment:
“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.”
With the immediate deployment of the newly graduated Forest Guards, the government hopes to close long-standing security gaps, restore confidence in affected communities, and signal a firm resolve to confront insecurity wherever it thrives.
(Democracy Newsline Newspaper, December 28TH 2025)
