The Kaduna State Government has graduated the first batch of one thousand Armed Forest Guards as part of efforts to strengthen security and reclaim forest areas previously used as hideouts by criminal groups.

Speaking at the passing-out parade in Kaduna on Saturday, Governor Uba Sani described the event as a major milestone in the state’s campaign against insecurity.

He said the newly trained personnel would complement the operations of the Armed Forces and other security agencies by enhancing surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid response in forested areas.

According to the governor, the establishment of the Armed Forest Guards reflects the state’s determination to adopt proactive measures in addressing increasingly sophisticated security threats. He noted that the guards have been equipped with advanced operational skills to help dismantle criminal networks operating from forest corridors.

Governor Sani observed that large sections of Kaduna’s forests had for years served as safe havens for bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers, and other criminal elements, leading to loss of lives, displacement of residents, and disruption of farming activities.

He said the mandate of the Forest Guards is to deny criminals access to forest bases while working closely with the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other relevant agencies. He stressed that the outfit is designed to reinforce existing security structures rather than replace them.

The governor added that the guards’ knowledge of the local terrain would improve intelligence gathering and operational effectiveness. He also highlighted progress made in restoring security across the state, including the reopening of more than 125 schools that had previously been shut because of insecurity, the resumption of farming and healthcare services in affected communities, and improved access to local government areas such as Birnin Gwari, Zangon Kataf, Giwa, Kauru, Kachia, and Kajuru.

Sani appealed to the Federal Government to approve the recruitment of an additional 1,000 Forest Guards for Kaduna State. He also acknowledged the support of President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in advancing the initiative.

The Kaduna governor urged them to carry out their responsibilities with integrity, professionalism, discipline, and respect for human rights.

He also called on residents to support the security outfit by providing credible and timely intelligence, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to investing in technology, education, agriculture, job creation, and other initiatives aimed at addressing the underlying causes of insecurity.

Representing the National Security Adviser at the ceremony, the Director of Internal Security, Sani Sani, said the Forest Guard initiative was introduced by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025 to secure ungoverned forest areas, protect biodiversity, safeguard watersheds, and preserve wildlife.

He disclosed that the Kaduna training programme, which began on June 15, 2026, graduated 1,101 personnel after two months of intensive instruction in weapons handling, physical fitness, combat readiness, civil-military cooperation, and compliance with international humanitarian law.

According to him, the guards are expected to serve as first responders in their communities while supporting conventional security agencies. He assured the graduates that deployment and salary payments would commence without delay.

Sani commended the Kaduna State Government and the instructors drawn from the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, the DSS, and the National Park Service for delivering what he described as one of the country’s most comprehensive Forest Guard training programmes.

In his address, the Training Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sani Abdullahi of the Nigerian Navy, said the curriculum covered marksmanship, patrol and tracking techniques, raid and ambush operations, combat first aid, communications, and cordon-and-search procedures.

He said the programme had produced disciplined and professionally trained personnel capable of supporting security operations and protecting lives, property, and critical national assets. (Channels TV)