Kaduna Graduates 1,101 Armed Forest Guards to Reclaim Forests, Strengthen Security

By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Kaduna State has graduated the first batch of 1,101 Armed Forest Guards, marking what Governor Uba Sani described as “a defining moment” in the state’s journey toward lasting peace and improved security.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Kaduna on Saturday, Governor Uba Sani, CON, who served as the Reviewing Officer, said the event represented more than the completion of a rigorous training programme.

“It marks the beginning of a new chapter in our collective effort to protect our people, reclaim our forests, and secure the future of our state,” the governor said.

He explained that the Armed Forest Guards are a specialised security outfit established to complement the efforts of the Armed Forces and other security agencies in tackling insecurity across the state.

“In an era where security challenges are becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated, our response must be equally adaptive, coordinated, and proactive,” Governor Sani said.

According to him, the Guards have been trained and authorised to deploy advanced operational capabilities against criminal elements operating from forest corridors.

“This enhanced capacity will significantly improve our ability to degrade, disarm, and dismantle criminal networks that have long exploited our forest corridors as safe havens,” he added.

The governor lamented that, for years, vast areas of Kaduna’s forests had served as sanctuaries for bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers, and other criminal groups, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of communities, and disruption of agricultural activities.

“No responsible government can accept such a reality. We have, therefore, chosen the path of decisive and deliberate action,” he said.

Governor Sani said the mandate of the Armed Forest Guards is to deny criminals the freedom to use forests as operational bases, strengthen surveillance and intelligence gathering, and work closely with the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies.

He stressed that the new security outfit was not established to replace existing agencies but to reinforce “a unified security architecture built on cooperation, professionalism, and shared purpose.”

According to him, one of the major strengths of the initiative is the Guards’ familiarity with the local terrain, which will significantly enhance intelligence gathering and operational effectiveness.

Highlighting the gains recorded in the state’s security efforts, Governor Sani said more than 125 schools previously shut down due to insecurity had been reopened, while farming activities and healthcare services had resumed in many affected communities.

He added that local government areas that were once largely inaccessible, including Birnin Gwari, Zangon Kataf, Giwa, Kauru, Kachia, and Kajuru, had witnessed significant improvements in security and economic activities.

The governor also appealed to the Federal Government to approve an additional 1,000 Forest Guards for Kaduna State.

“I am proud, and I believe the people of Kaduna State are equally proud, to hear you describe this training as the best in the country,” he said, while expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for their support.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Internal Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mallam Sani Sani, who represented the National Security Adviser, said the Forest Guard initiative was introduced by President Bola Tinubu on May 24, 2025, to secure ungoverned spaces, protect biodiversity, safeguard watersheds, and preserve wildlife.

He disclosed that the Kaduna training programme, which commenced on June 15, 2026, produced 1,101 graduates, despite an initial enrolment of 1,045 trainees.

“The trainees underwent two months of intensive instruction in weapons handling, physical fitness, combat readiness, civil-military cooperation, and adherence to the rule of law through international humanitarian law,” he said.

Sani also noted that the Forest Guards are expected to serve as first responders in their communities before the arrival of conventional security agencies.

He assured the graduates that there would be no delay between graduation, salary payment, and deployment.

He commended the Kaduna State Government and instructors drawn from the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, the DSS, and the National Park Service for delivering what he described as the best Forest Guard training conducted in the country so far.

Earlier, the Training Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sani Abdullahi of the Nigerian Navy, said the curriculum covered weapons handling, marksmanship, patrol techniques, tracking, raid and ambush operations, combat first aid, communications, and cordon-and-search operations.

“In conclusion, the programme has produced a well-trained, disciplined, and professionally prepared team of forest guard personnel ready to support security operations and protect lives, property, and critical national assets,” he said.

Governor Sani charged the newly graduated Guards to discharge their duties with integrity, courage, discipline, restraint, and respect for human rights.

“Your authority must be exercised with wisdom. The strength of any security institution is measured not only by its ability to confront crime but also by the trust it earns from the people it serves,” he said.

He also urged residents to support the Guards by providing timely and credible intelligence, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to investing in technology, intelligence, education, job creation, and agriculture to address the root causes of insecurity.

“Ultimately, security is the foundation upon which sustainable development depends. Our vision is a Kaduna State where security is not the privilege of a few but the shared inheritance of all,” the governor said.