Tinubu Launches Forest Guards to Fight Insecurity
President Bola Tinubu has unveiled a strategic initiative aimed at addressing the growing insecurity plaguing Nigeria’s vast forests. In a bold move, Tinubu launches forest guards to fight insecurity and reclaim Nigeria’s 1,129 forest reserves from criminal elements.
This new security initiative will see the recruitment of thousands of young Nigerians into a special paramilitary force known as the Forest Guards. The mission is to deploy these guards across forested regions to confront and eliminate the menace of bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers who have turned these areas into safe havens.
Forest Guards Initiative Gains Momentum
The forest guards initiative was formally approved by President Tinubu following security briefings from top government and intelligence officials. These briefings highlighted how many violent crimes, including mass abductions and armed attacks, were being planned or executed from remote forest locations.
By acting decisively, Tinubu launches forest guards to fight insecurity and protect vulnerable communities living close to these forests. According to government sources, the forest guards will undergo rigorous training in surveillance, weapons handling, bush tracking, and intelligence gathering.
The guards will also work in close coordination with the Nigerian Police Force, military units, and state-level security agencies to ensure seamless operations in difficult terrains.
Reclaiming Nigeria’s Forests from Terrorists
The forests of Nigeria, especially those in the North-West, North-Central, and South-East regions, have long been ungoverned spaces. Terror groups and armed bandits use them as hideouts and launchpads for attacks. With the forest guards initiative, the federal government is making a statement: these forests will no longer remain under the control of criminals.
“President Tinubu is determined to remove every inch of Nigerian territory from the hands of violent actors,” a senior security official said. “The forest guards initiative is central to that effort.”
By ensuring a strong, armed presence in forests, Tinubu hopes to disrupt the logistical supply routes used by insurgents, disarm criminal networks, and offer much-needed security to rural dwellers.
Recruitment to Focus on Local Youths
One of the major components of this policy is youth empowerment. Tinubu launches forest guards to fight insecurity, but also to create employment for thousands of young Nigerians.
The guards will largely be recruited from communities near these forests. This strategy ensures that personnel are familiar with the terrain, language, and cultural dynamics of the areas where they will operate.
Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal confirmed that the initiative will be a joint effort involving the federal government, state governments, and local traditional authorities. “This is not just a security operation; it’s a community-based environmental security effort,” he said.
A National Security Game-Changer
Security experts have welcomed the forest guards initiative, describing it as a long-overdue response to Nigeria’s forest-based threats. “The forests are the nerve center of terrorist activities,” said retired Brigadier General Aliyu Umar. “If you control the forests, you break their backbone.”
The decision by Tinubu to launch forest guards is being seen as a shift from reactive to proactive security policy. By occupying the forests before criminals do, the state sends a strong message of dominance and deterrence.
Technology-Driven Surveillance
The forest guards will not rely on manpower alone. According to the Ministry of Interior, the guards will be supported with drones, satellite imagery, and real-time surveillance tools. These technologies will enhance the guards’ ability to track movements within forests and respond swiftly to threats.
“We are creating a modern forest surveillance system,” said a senior technology advisor to the government. “It’s not just about boots on the ground. It’s about eyes in the sky.”
This blend of human intelligence and digital surveillance will be essential in achieving the goals for which Tinubu launches forest guards to fight insecurity.
State and Local Governments to Play Key Roles
While the initiative is federally driven, state governments are expected to fund and manage part of the recruitment and deployment efforts. In states like Kaduna, Zamfara, Benue, and Imo, where forest-based violence has been rampant, local leaders have expressed willingness to partner with the Tinubu administration.
Some states already have variants of forest protection units, which will now be harmonized under the national forest guards initiative. This integration ensures that all units operate under a single doctrine, training standard, and chain of command.
Economic and Environmental Impact
Beyond security, the forest guards initiative could also serve ecological and economic purposes. Nigeria’s forests have been endangered by illegal logging, poaching, and unregulated mining. The presence of trained forest guards could help protect biodiversity and enforce environmental laws.
Additionally, the guards will serve as first responders during forest fires and floods, providing essential manpower in areas that are hard to reach by conventional means.
Analysts believe the program could offer long-term employment, reduce youth restiveness, and contribute to environmental preservation.
Challenges Ahead
Despite its promise, the forest guards initiative will face several challenges. Funding, training logistics, and inter-agency coordination remain major hurdles. There are also concerns about accountability, discipline, and the possibility of political interference in recruitment.
Civil society groups have urged the federal government to ensure transparency in recruitment and clear rules of engagement to prevent abuse of power.
Security consultant Joseph Emefiele added, “The success of this initiative depends on political will, professionalism, and sustainability. It must not become another abandoned security experiment.”
Public Reaction and Next Steps
Public reaction has been mostly positive. Social media has been flooded with messages of support for the initiative, with many Nigerians calling it a necessary step toward restoring peace in rural areas.
As Tinubu launches forest guards to fight insecurity, Nigerians are hopeful that this bold initiative will finally turn the tide in the war against banditry and terrorism.
The Office of the National Security Adviser has announced that the first batch of forest guards will begin training by July 2025. Deployment will follow shortly after in the most volatile forest regions.
