Kaduna State has taken a major step towards expanding its community-based security structure with the graduation of 1,000 armed forest guards trained to operate in areas previously identified as hideouts for bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.
The new security personnel are expected to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid response efforts across the state’s forest corridors, which authorities say have become difficult territories for conventional security agencies to effectively monitor.
Speaking during the passing-out parade in Kaduna on Saturday, Governor Uba Sani described the establishment of the Armed Forest Guards as a significant milestone in the state’s fight against insecurity.
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Sani said the guards were trained to complement the Nigerian Armed Forces, police, and other security agencies rather than replace existing security structures.
He said the initiative was developed in response to the security challenges posed by criminal elements operating from forest locations across Kaduna.
According to the governor, many communities had suffered years of attacks linked to banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling, resulting in deaths, displacement of residents, and disruptions to agricultural activities.
Sani said the forest guards would use their understanding of local terrain to improve intelligence gathering and assist security agencies in tracking criminal movements.
He added that the state had recorded progress in some affected areas, including the reopening of more than 125 schools previously closed because of insecurity and the restoration of farming and healthcare activities in communities affected by violence.
The governor appealed to the Federal Government to approve the recruitment of an additional 1,000 forest guards for Kaduna, while acknowledging the support of President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu in advancing the programme.
Representing Ribadu at the event, Director of Internal Security, Sani Sani, said the forest guard initiative was introduced by the Federal Government in 2025 to address insecurity in ungoverned forest areas, protect communities, and support environmental conservation.
Sani disclosed that 1,101 personnel completed the Kaduna training programme after two months of instruction, which began on June 15, 2026.
He said the training covered weapons handling, physical fitness, combat readiness, civil-military cooperation, and compliance with international humanitarian law.
The security official said the guards would serve as first responders within their communities while working alongside conventional security agencies. He assured the graduates that deployment and salary payments would begin without delay.
The training officer, Lieutenant Commander Sani Abdullahi of the Nigerian Navy, said the programme exposed participants to marksmanship, patrol and tracking techniques, raid operations, combat first aid, communications, and search procedures.
The deployment of armed forest guards adds another layer to Nigeria’s evolving security response, particularly in northern states where vast forests have been repeatedly linked to criminal activities.
However, the effectiveness of the initiative will depend on coordination with existing security agencies, adequate funding, proper oversight, and adherence to legal and human rights standards during operations.
Governor Sani urged the newly trained personnel to carry out their duties with discipline, professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights, while calling on residents to support the initiative through credible intelligence sharing.
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