The Federal Government, through the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribaɗu, on Thursday, launched a new security measure called “Forest Guards Initiative”.
The initiative seeks to tackle persistent threats from bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal groups operating within Nigeria’s forests.
Ribaɗu announced the initiative during the opening of the Federal and States Security Administrators’ Meeting (FSSAM) at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja, yesterday.
The NSA said the initiative, approved by President Bola Tinubu, marked a decisive shift in the nation’s internal security strategy – targeting the forests that had long served as safe havens for violent criminals.
“We are taking the fight to where the criminals hide. The ‘Forest Guards Initiative’ is a bold step to secure our forests, restore peace to rural communities, and deny bandits and kidnappers freedom of action”, he stated.
The NSA disclosed that more than 130,000 armed forest guards would be deployed across the country’s 1,129 forest and game reserves, starting with pilot operations in Adamawa, Borno, Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto and Yobe states, adding that the move aligns with the administration’s broader goal of strengthening national security for peace and prosperity.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, Muhammed Ɗanjuma, said the initiative was being jointly coordinated by ONSA and the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with state governments.
Ɗanjuma described the project as a “security game-changer”, designed to reclaim forest spaces from criminal gangs, safeguard critical natural assets, and protect vulnerable rural communities.
He, however, stressed that success would depend on strong political will, adequate resourcing, and collective commitment at both national and subnational levels.
The three-day meeting brought together security administrators from the 36 states and the FCT to review the nation’s internal security architecture and recommend practical solutions to emerging threats.
