The Federal Government has expanded the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative to 10 states, with more than 9,000 personnel now trained to help secure forests and other remote areas often used by kidnappers, bandits and other criminal groups.
In a statement released on Friday, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said the latest phase of the programme covers Kaduna, Edo and Kogi states, where over 2,000 newly trained forest guards are set to be deployed to identified security hotspots.
The initiative is coordinated by the ONSA and implemented under the operational leadership of the Department of State Services (DSS), with support from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Defence Headquarters, the Nigeria Police Force and the National Park Service.
According to the statement, the programme is being carried out in partnership with participating state governments to strengthen security in forests, border communities and other ungoverned areas frequently exploited by criminal groups.
The latest deployment follows the graduation of more than 7,000 forest guards previously trained in Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara and Kebbi states.
The government said many of the recruits were selected from communities that have experienced repeated attacks by kidnappers and bandits because of their deep knowledge of local forests, waterways, footpaths and remote settlements.
Officials believe their familiarity with the terrain will improve surveillance, intelligence gathering and the ability of security agencies to identify routes and hideouts that may be difficult for outsiders to access.
Before being recruited, all personnel underwent background checks, identity verification and security screening to confirm their suitability for the role.
The forest guards also received specialised training in weapons handling, navigation, patrol operations, field craft, intelligence gathering and forest protection.
According to the ONSA, the training was designed to combine the recruits’ local knowledge with the discipline and operational skills needed to work effectively alongside conventional security agencies.
The government said the initiative is aimed at limiting the movement of criminal groups through poorly monitored forests, which are often used as camps, transit routes and hideouts for abducted victims.
The forest guards are also expected to improve intelligence sharing between rural communities and security agencies by serving as a direct link between residents and law enforcement authorities.
They will be deployed to forests, border communities, remote settlements and other areas affected by kidnapping, banditry and related crimes to support surveillance, early warning systems and intelligence-led operations.
The governors of Kaduna, Edo and Kogi states welcomed the expansion of the programme, describing it as a major boost to existing security efforts. They also pledged to support the welfare, deployment and operations of the forest guards in their respective states.
The ONSA said the long-term goal of the initiative is to restore government presence in vulnerable communities, improve rural security and deny criminal groups safe havens in Nigeria’s forests.
President Bola Tinubu launched the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative in May 2025 as part of efforts to strengthen the protection of the country’s forests and tackle growing insecurity. In December 2025, the Federal Government graduated more than 7,000 forest guards from seven frontline states after a three-month intensive training programme.
