The Kwara State Government has deployed forest guards to protect its forests following weeks of abductions and armed attacks across forested parts of the state, signalling what officials describe as a shift to a more aggressive security posture.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said about 1,000 forest guards completed their training and were deployed on Saturday as part of a joint federal and state security initiative. He said the deployment followed a passing-out parade in Ilorin attended by security chiefs and government officials.
|
|
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said the forest guards initiative would deny terrorists and kidnappers safe haven in Kwara’s forests, warning that criminal groups now face “the option of either leaving the state or paying a heavy price.”
“Today opens a new page in our campaign against all forms of terrorism, kidnapping, and opportunist attacks on our people by bad faith actors who exploit our vast territories for evil purposes,” the governor said at the event. He described the enlistment of armed forest guards as “a game changer” that would strengthen coordination between local auxiliaries and conventional security forces.
|
|
|
|---|
The governor said the guards, who were recruited from local communities, would work with the military, police, and other agencies to flush out armed groups operating in forest corridors linking Kaiama, Patigi, Edu, Ifelodun, and Ekiti local government areas. He added that the state plans to deploy at least 200 forest guards to each local government to reinforce surveillance and rapid response.
“And the message is very clear: more than ever before, the terrorists now have the option of immediately leaving our state or paying a heavy price,” Mr AbdulRazaq said. “Today’s launch of the forest guards simply means that we are going on the offensive because our people deserve their peace.”
The deployment comes amid rising insecurity in Kwara, where armed groups have carried out repeated kidnappings and attacks in recent weeks. Two Chinese workers were abducted earlier this month from a road construction site along the Bode Saadu–Kaiama axis. Farmers have been seized from their fields in Patigi and Edu areas, while a traditional ruler, the Ojibara of Bayagan-Ile in Ifelodun, remains in captivity more than a week after his abduction.
Other recent incidents include an attack on a church in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area, in November, during which some worshippers were killed and dozens abducted, as well as the arrest of suspected arms couriers and kidnapping kingpins along forest routes linking Kwara to Niger and Zamfara states.
Mr AbdulRazaq said the state was aligning with the federal government’s Presidential Forest Guards initiative to reclaim ungoverned spaces and dismantle criminal networks. He commended President Bola Tinubu and the Office of the National Security Adviser for driving the programme, which lists Kwara among its pilot states.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu said the forest guards would be deployed immediately to vulnerable communities, particularly around forests that have become transit routes and hideouts for armed groups. Represented by the Assistant Director-General of the State Security Services, Femi Shotayo, Mr Ribadu said the guards would serve as first responders and intelligence assets.
“Beyond being first responders, these guards are expected to gather actionable human intelligence, support ongoing security operations, and restore state presence where it has long been absent,” he said. He added that salaries and allowances would be paid promptly and warned the guards to respect rules of engagement and human rights.
“The oath of allegiance is not a mere formality; it is a binding pledge of loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and commitment to the protection of lives and property,” Mr Ribadu said.
Security analysts say the success of the initiative will depend on sustained funding, coordination with conventional forces, and community cooperation.
