FG to Deploy New Forest Guards to Secure Forest as 530 Pioneer Batch Graduate in Kogi

Newly trained National Forest Guards have graduated in Lokoja with a mandate to safeguard forests and communities nationwide.

NSA Nuhu Ribadu, speaking through Maj. Gen. Hillary Mabeokwu, said the guards will be deployed immediately and must operate with professionalism and respect for human rights

He announced that the personnel would be deployed immediately across various communities to enhance security and protect residents, urging the graduates to carry out their duties with professionalism, respect for human rights, gender sensitivity, and strict adherence to ethical standards and international law.

Ribadu stressed that the nation had placed its confidence in them, saying the establishment of the forest guard initiative demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to the safety and security of all Nigerians.

The NSA called on the graduating officers to serve with honesty, dedication and integrity, while commending the unwavering commitment of the military and paramilitary agencies whose collaboration ensured the successful training of the forest guards.

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, in his speech, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening security across the state with the graduation of the pioneer batch of the National Forest Guards, saying that no part of Kogi’s forests would be left as a refuge for criminal elements.

The governor said, “The graduation ceremony represented more than the completion of a training programme, it symbolized Kogi State’s determination to reinforce its security architecture and ensure that forests become centres of lawful economic activities rather than hideouts for criminals.”

Ododo commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating and supporting the National Forest Guards programme, describing it as a landmark effort to strengthen community-based security across the country.