The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has announced the graduation of over 7,000 newly recruited Forest Guards drawn from seven frontline states, following the successful completion of an intensive three-month training programme.
The initiative is under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative launched by Bola Tinubu in May 2025 and represents a coordinated Federal–State security intervention aimed at reclaiming Nigeria’s forests from criminal exploitation.
The graduation ceremonies were held on 27 December 2025 across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi States, and are designed to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture by denying terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal groups sanctuary within forested and hard-to-reach terrains.
The training programme was deliberately intensive, structured, and demanding, designed to transform loyal and committed Nigerians into agile, disciplined, and capable field operatives. The curriculum integrated environmental conservation principles with advanced security competencies, ensuring a balanced, professional, and mission-ready force.
Trainees underwent extensive physical and mental conditioning, including endurance exercises, obstacle-crossing drills, and long range patrol simulations to prepare them for sustained forest operations.
They were also trained in tactical fieldcraft, including movement techniques, enemy-contact drills, ambush response, rescue operations, and coordinated offensive actions equipping them to deny criminal elements any form of sanctuary within Nigeria’s forest spaces.
Equally central to the programme was a strong emphasis on ethics, legality, and professionalism. The curriculum placed significant focus on human rights, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), gender rights, and the protection of civilians. Arms handling and use-of-force protocols were strictly regulated in line with an Arms Management Manual jointly agreed upon by all participating agencies.
Speaking at the ceremonies, the National Security Adviser, 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.”
