Tinubu to Deploy Forest Guards To Crackdown Terrorists

President Bola Tinubu, has approved the establishment of a national forest guard unit aimed at boosting security across the country’s 1,129 forests.

The new initiative, which will see thousands of young Nigerians recruited, is part of a wider effort to combat terrorism and organised crime in remote and forested areas. The guards will be specially trained and armed, according to the Presidency.

In a statement, Sunday Dare, Spokesperson to President Bola, disclosed the federal government forest guard scheme will be jointly coordinated by the National Security Adviser’s office and the Ministry of Environment. It is intended to be a collaborative security effort between federal and state authorities.

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Tinubu has previously vowed to confront criminal groups operating in the nation’s forests, warning that his administration would not cede “an inch” of Nigerian territory to terrorists or armed gangs.

“The Nigerian state will reclaim every part of its territory,” Mr Tinubu said.

The deployment of forest guards comes amid ongoing concerns about the use of forested regions by militants, kidnappers, and other non-state actors seeking cover for illicit activities.