From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
Kaduna State has graduated its first batch of Armed Forest Guards, marking what Governor Senator Uba Sani called “a defining moment” in the state’s journey toward lasting peace and security.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Kaduna today, Saturday August 1, Governor Uba Sani who served as the Reviewing Officer, stated that the event signifies more than just completing a rigorous training program.
“It is the start of a new chapter in our collective effort to protect our people, reclaim our forests, and secure the future of our state,” the governor declared.
He emphasized that the Armed Forest Guards are a specialized security force tasked with supporting the efforts of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
“In an era where security issues continue to become more complex and sophisticated, our response must be equally adaptable, coordinated, and proactive,” Governor Sani said.
According to him, the Guards are trained and authorized to use advanced capabilities against criminal elements that have taken shelter in forest corridors.
“This enhanced capacity will significantly improve our ability to degrade, disarm, and dismantle criminal networks that have long exploited our forest corridors as safe havens,” he added.
The Governor lamented that, for too long, vast stretches of Kaduna’s forests served as sanctuaries for banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and other violent crimes, leading to loss of lives, displacement of communities, and disruption of agriculture.
“No responsible government can accept such a reality. We have, therefore, chosen the path of decisive and deliberate action,” he said.
Governor Sani explained that the mandate of the Armed Forest Guards is clear: to deny criminals the freedom to use forests as operational bases, strengthen surveillance and intelligence gathering, and work seamlessly with the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Police, the DSS, the NSCDC, and other agencies.
He stressed that the new unit is not meant to replace existing agencies but to enforce “a unified security architecture built on cooperation, professionalism, and shared purpose.”
A key justification for the initiative, he said, is the Guards’ close knowledge of the local terrain, which will improve intelligence gathering.
Citing progress already made, the Governor stated that more than *125 schools previously shut down have been reopened*, farmlands are once again under cultivation, and healthcare facilities have resumed operations in nearly all LGAs
Local governments that were once mostly inaccessible, such as *Birnin Gwari, Zangon Kataf, Giwa, Kauru, Kachia, and Kajuru, have now seen significant improvements in security and economic activity, he added.
The Governor also called on the Federal Government to provide an additional 1,000 Forest Guards for Kaduna State.
“I am proud, and I believe everyone in Kaduna State is proud, when you rightly say this training in Kaduna is the best in the country,” he said, thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu for their support.
Mallam Sani Sani, Director of Internal Security at the Office of the NSA, who represented the NSA, stated that the Forest Guard is a presidential initiative announced by President Tinubu on 24th May 2025 to safeguard ungoverned spaces, biodiversity, watersheds, and wildlife.
He revealed that the Kaduna training, which started on 15th June 2026, graduated 1,101 individuals out of 1,045 who initially enrolled.
“The beneficiaries underwent two months of intensive training in weapon handling, physical fitness, combat readiness, civil-military cooperation, and adherence to the rule of law through international humanitarian law,” he said.
Sani Sani also mentioned that the Guards are expected to act as first responders in their communities before conventional security agencies arrive, and assured them that “there won’t be any gap” between graduation, salary initiation, and deployment.
He praised the Kaduna State Government and instructors from the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, DSS, and National Park Service for delivering what he called “the best training so far in the country.”
Speaking further, Lieutenant Commander Sani Abdullahi of the Nigerian Navy, the Training Officer, explained that the program included weapons handling, marksmanship, patrols, tracking, raids and ambush tactics, combat first aid, communication, and cordon-and-search operations.
“In conclusion, the program has developed a well-trained, disciplined, and professionally prepared team of forest guard rangers ready to support security operations and help protect lives, property, and critical national assets,” he said.
Governor Sani challenged the new Guards to serve with integrity, courage, restraint, and respect for human rights.
“Your authority must be exercised with wisdom. The strength of any security institution is measured not just by its ability to confront crime, but by the trust it earns among the people it serves,” he said.
He urged communities to support the Guards by providing timely and credible information. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in technology, intelligence, education, jobs, and agriculture to address the root causes of insecurity.
“Ultimately, security is the essential foundation upon which development depends. Our vision is of a Kaduna State where security is not the privilege of a few, but the shared inheritance of all,” Governor Sani said.
