Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State has sounded a strong warning to terrorists, kidnappers, and other criminals exploiting the state’s vast forests, declaring that they now have no safe haven following the deployment of newly trained forest guards.
The stern message came during the passing-out parade of approximately 1,000 forest guards in Ilorin on Saturday, December 27, 2025, marking their immediate deployment across the state to bolster security.
Addressing the recruits at the ceremony, Governor AbdulRazaq described the initiative as a game changer in Kwara’s security framework.
“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,” he said.
He emphasised that the armed forest guards, drawn largely from local communities, would collaborate with conventional security forces to flush out criminals. The governor plans to station at least 200 guards in each local government area, working alongside local vigilantes to secure forest zones.
“And the message is very clear: more than ever before, terrorists now have the option of immediately leaving our state or paying a heavy price. We are going on the offensive because our people deserve peace,” AbdulRazaq declared.
The governor commended President Bola Tinubu for the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative, launched in May 2025, which facilitated the training. He also praised security agencies for their ongoing efforts and urged residents to provide credible intelligence to sustain peace.
The ceremony featured tactical demonstrations by the guards, showcasing skills in self-defence, combat readiness, and operations against kidnapping, cattle rustling, deforestation, and illegal mining.
Representing the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Assistant Director-General of the Department of State Services, Femi Shotayo, highlighted the dual role of the guards: protecting forest resources and acting as force multipliers against banditry, insurgency, and terrorism.
Ribadu noted that over 7,000 forest guards graduated across seven pilot states—Adamawa, Borno, Kwara, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, and Yobe—after a three-month intensive training programme coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment, DSS, and the National Park Service.
“Beyond being first responders, they are expected to gather actionable intelligence, support security operations and restore state presence where it has long been absent,” Ribadu said. He assured immediate payment of salaries and allowances while stressing adherence to rules of engagement and respect for human rights.
This development comes against the backdrop of persistent security challenges in Nigeria’s forested regions, where criminal groups have used ungoverned spaces as hideouts for kidnappings and attacks on rural communities. Kwara State, like many northern and central states, has experienced incidents of banditry and abductions in recent years, prompting heightened measures.
The Presidential Forest Guards Initiative represents a federal-state collaboration to reclaim forests, enhance environmental protection, and deny sanctuary to criminals. Guards are recruited from local areas to leverage community knowledge and trust, making them effective in intelligence gathering and rapid response.
Earlier phases saw Kwara recruiting and training additional guards, building on previous deployments. The federal government has signalled plans for nationwide expansion after evaluating the pilot phase.
Attendees at the Ilorin parade included security commanders, cabinet members, local government chairpersons, traditional rulers, and representatives from federal institutions, underscoring broad support for the programme.
