News
Nigeria’s forests, from the thick vegetation of the South to the sprawling savannahs of the North, have become strategic hideouts for criminal and terrorist groups. Traditional security forces — stretched thin and often unfamiliar with these terrains — have struggled to maintain a sustained presence in these remote areas. Recognizing this, the Tinubu government announced the revitalization and expansion of forest guards: a dedicated security outfit tasked with patrolling, monitoring, and protecting these vulnerable ecosystems.
Forest guards are not a novel concept in Nigeria. Historically, they served as environmental custodians, focusing on anti-poaching and conservation. However, the new policy reimagines their role, positioning them at the forefront of efforts to disrupt criminal activities that thrive in the nation’s forests.
Rationale for the Policy
The logic behind deploying forest guards is multifaceted.
- Local Knowledge and Mobility: Forest guards are often recruited from local communities, giving them intimate knowledge of the terrain, wildlife, and movement patterns within their assigned areas. This local insight is invaluable for tracking criminals and detecting unusual activities.
- Bridging Security Gaps: While police and military units are concentrated in urban centers or along major highways, forest guards can provide a consistent presence in remote, hard-to-reach areas, serving as the eyes and ears of the state.
- Community Trust: Being community-based, forest guards are more likely to win the trust and cooperation of local populations, enhancing intelligence gathering and early warning capabilities.
Why forests matter in Nigeria’s security calculus
- Nigeria has 1,129 recognised forest reserves and protected areas spread across 36 states and the FCT. Many of them have become sanctuaries for terrorist groups, kidnap gangs and armed bandits. THISDAYLIVE
- On 14 May 2025, President Bola Tinubu authorised the creation and immediate recruitment of an armed Forest Guard corps, directing that they be “well-trained and armed” under a joint federal-state security arrangement. Daily Post NigeriaTribune Online
A Step-by-Step Blueprint for Federal-State Success
Twelve (12) Inter-Locking Steps for Success
The creation of armed Forest Guards offers a rare opportunity to seal Nigeria’s ungoverned forest spaces—but only if the new outfit is built on clear doctrine, tight coordination and sustainable resourcing. Below is a practical, sequential roadmap that federal and state authorities can follow.
|
Step |
Key Actions |
Lead(s) |
Success Indicators |
|
1. Constitute a Joint Steering Council (JSC) |
• Establish a legally backed JSC co-chaired by the National Security Adviser & the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum. |
Presidency / Governors |
Council gazetted; monthly joint directives issued |
|
2. Enact enabling legislation & ROE |
• Fast-track a National Forest Guard (Establishment) Bill; states pass mirror laws. |
National Assembly / State Houses |
Act signed; first prosecutions secured |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3. Map & rank forest hotspots |
• Fuse satellite imagery, drone ISR and on-ground intel to classify every reserve by threat level (Red/Amber/Green). |
National Space Research & Dev. Agency + state GIS units |
Digital threat map updated quarterly |
|
4. Community-centred recruitment & vetting |
• Draw 70 % of recruits from host LGAs (hunters, ex-military, agro-rangers). • Incorporate polygraph examination into the recruitment framework to address insider related threats.
|
States (LG hiring boards) with DSS clearance |
0 infiltration cases after first 12 months |
|
5. Joint jungle-warfare training |
• 16-week programme at the Army School of Infantry, Jaji, plus 4-week state refresher camps. |
Defence HQ / Police CTU / Forestry Research Inst. |
90 % pass rate; no human-rights violations recorded in field audits |
|
6. Equip for mobility & night ops |
• Standard issue: AK-47/AR-15-class rifles, Level III+ armour, night-vision goggles, GPS trackers, rugged radios. |
Fed. Min. of Defence, Ecological Fund |
10-min average response time inside forests |
|
7. Stand-up zonal Fusion & Command Centres |
• Co-locate analysts from DSS, police, military and state vigilance groups. |
NSA office |
80 % of incidents intercepted within 24 h |
|
8. Embed community engagement units |
• Each detachment creates a Forest Security Committee with traditional rulers, park officers, women’s groups and transport unions. |
State Ministries of Local Govt & Chieftaincy |
50 % rise in community tips; 30 % drop in forest-area kidnapping within 18 months |
|
9. Assure welfare & retention |
• Provide risk allowance, group life insurance and medical evacuation cover. |
Fed. & State Finance Ministries |
Attrition < 7 % in first two years |
|
11. Ring-fence funding & audit trails |
• Create a dedicated Forest Security Trust Fund: with contributions from federal, state, private CSR/Climate -finance streams. |
Finance Ministry / Accountant-General |
Clean audit opinion; 95 % of budget released on time |
|
12. Deploy metrics & adaptive learning |
• KPIs: terrorists neutralised, hostages rescued, forest infiltration attempts foiled, prosecutions, hectares restored. |
JSC M&E Unit |
Continuous improvement cycle documented |
|
13. Link security to forest governance & livelihood projects |
• Pair guard operations with re-forestation, eco-tourism, NTFP (non-timber forest product) markets & youth agro-processing hubs. |
Ministry of Environment / AfDB / Bio-Carbon Fund |
20 % rise in legal forest-based income by 2028 |
3. Clear federal–state role delineation
|
Function |
Federal Lead |
State Lead |
|
Doctrine & training standards |
Defence HQ / NSA |
Adopt & localise |
|
Strategic ISR & tech procurement |
Space Agency, NITDA |
Co-fund, host regional drone stations |
|
Arms licensing & ROE |
Inspector-General of Police |
Enforce within state courts |
|
Personnel welfare funding |
Finance Ministry, Ecological Fund |
Security Votes / Trust Fund |
|
Local intelligence & community outreach |
DSS, NPF |
Traditional councils, vigilante networks |
Potential Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
While the policy holds promise, there are significant risks if not carefully managed. The pitfalls and mitigation measures are as follows
Funding Bottlenecks: Underfunding or inadequate equipment could render guards ineffective and demoralized, making them vulnerable to bribery or coercion by criminal groups.
Mitigation - Ring-fenced trust fund with first line-charge status; quarterly National Economic Council reviews
Jurisdictional Conflicts: Overlapping mandates with police or military units can lead to confusion, rivalry, and operational inefficiency.
Mitigation - Clear communication channels and joint task forces are necessary to harmonize efforts. Clearly defined Area of Operations (AO) and joint SOP signed by Army, Police, NSCDC
Community Distrust: If guards are perceived as outsiders or agents of oppression, local cooperation may erode, undermining their effectiveness.
Mitigation - Continuous engagement and the inclusion of local voices in decision-making are vital.
Corruption and Infiltration: Criminal elements could attempt to infiltrate or corrupt the guard ranks.
Mitigation - Robust vetting, regular rotation, and strong disciplinary measures are essential safeguards.
Equipment Theft: Criminal elements could attempt to divert or steal equipment
Mitigation - Digital armoury management, RFID tagging of weapons
Politicisation or ethnic capture: The entire exercise could suffer from politicisation or ethnic intrigues
Mitigation – There should be equal representation in the Joint Steering Council (JSC) and an independent oversight panel should be established. In addition, recruitment should be based on merit.
Militarization and Human Rights Concerns: Without proper training and oversight, forest guards risk becoming an unregulated militia, leading to unintended abuses or confrontations with civilians.
Mitigation- Strict adherence to human rights standards must be enforced. Consider the use of body-worn cameras
Recommended Implementation Timeline
|
Phase |
Duration |
Milestones |
|
Launch (Q3 2025) |
0 - 6 months |
JSC gazetted; pilot detachments in 6 high-risk states; first 3,000 guards trained |
|
Consolidation (2026) |
6 - 18 months |
National Fusion Centre live; 60 % forests mapped & patrolled; kidnapping incidents down 25 % |
|
Nation-wide roll-out (2027) |
18 - 36 months |
20,000 guards deployed; all 1,129 forests covered; full KPI dashboard public |
|
Stabilisation (2028--) |
36 - 48 months |
Terrorist forest camps dismantled; eco-livelihood projects yielding revenue; guard corps integrated into long-term National Guard structure |
Conclusion
President Tinubu’s Forest guard policy is a timely and innovative response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. By leveraging local knowledge, building trust with communities, and enhancing the state’s presence in remote areas, forest guards could become a linchpin in the fight against kidnapping, terrorism, and other violent crimes. However, success hinges on clear planning, adequate resourcing, ongoing training, and unwavering commitment to accountability. If these elements are given due attention, the policy could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s quest for peace and security.
The Risk Control Team
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