The Federal Government has graduated more than 7,000 newly recruited Forest Guards from seven frontline states, with immediate deployment approved to strengthen internal security and reclaim Nigeria’s forests from criminal elements.
The graduation followed the completion of a three-month intensive training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative, launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2025 and coordinated through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim, the initiative was described as a coordinated federal–state security effort aimed at denying terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups safe havens in forested and hard-to-reach areas.
Graduation ceremonies were held on Saturday, December 27, 2025, across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara and Kebbi states.
According to the statement, the training programme was deliberately rigorous and designed to produce disciplined, agile and mission-ready operatives. The curriculum combined environmental conservation principles with advanced security skills.
Trainees underwent physical and mental conditioning, including endurance drills, obstacle-crossing exercises and long-range patrol simulations.
They were also trained in tactical fieldcraft, movement techniques, ambush response, rescue operations and coordinated offensive actions.
Ethics and professionalism formed a core part of the programme, with modules on human rights, International Humanitarian Law, gender rights and civilian protection. Arms handling and use-of-force protocols were strictly regulated under a jointly agreed Arms Management Manual.
Speaking at the ceremonies, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, described the initiative as a decisive step toward restoring state authority and protecting vulnerable communities.
“These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel. They are first responders, community protectors and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture. They will hold ground, gather intelligence and support security agencies in reclaiming territories previously overtaken by criminal elements,” Ribadu said.
He confirmed that deployment would begin immediately, adding that salaries and allowances would also commence without delay.
“There will be no gap between graduation and deployment. Every certified guard will proceed directly to assigned duty posts,” he stated.
Ribadu disclosed that the programme recorded a 98.2 per cent completion rate, with 81 trainees disqualified on disciplinary grounds and two trainees lost due to pre-existing medical conditions. All successful participants were fully certified and cleared for operational duties.
He noted that the graduates are indigenous to their respective local government areas, enabling them to leverage local knowledge, terrain familiarity and community trust in combating banditry, kidnapping and illegal exploitation of forest resources.
The Forest Guards scheme is an inter-agency national security initiative led by the National Security Adviser in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, and operationally coordinated by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Park Service.
Strategic input is provided by the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Navy, Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to ensure unity of command and operational effectiveness.
Governors and deputy governors from the pilot states, including Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, attended the graduation ceremonies.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, Ribadu said the initiative would be expanded nationwide as part of sustained efforts to enhance national security.
“By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people. The Federal Government will not relent in building a safer and more secure Nigeria,” he said.