Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in partnership with the Oyo State Government as part of efforts to strengthen security and combat criminal activities within forested areas.
Ribadu made the announcement while addressing families of the 46 pupils and teachers who were abducted in Oyo State.
The security chief said the federal government remains committed to improving safety across the country and preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future.
According to Ribadu, he met with President Tinubu a day earlier and received approval for the security initiative aimed at enhancing surveillance and intelligence gathering in vulnerable communities and forest regions.
“Yesterday, I was with President Tinubu, and he approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in collaboration with the Oyo State Government,” Ribadu stated during the engagement.
The NSA also acknowledged the efforts of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, commending his administration’s role in addressing security challenges within the state.
“We also acknowledge Governor Seyi Makinde. He’s doing well,” Ribadu added. The planned recruitment is expected to boost local security operations by deploying trained personnel to monitor forests, which have increasingly been used as hideouts by kidnappers, bandits, and other criminal elements.
Ribadu’s remarks came amid ongoing concerns over insecurity in parts of the country, particularly incidents involving kidnappings of students and residents.
The federal government’s decision to establish additional forest security personnel is seen as part of a broader strategy to strengthen community-based security measures and support state governments in tackling crime.
Families of the abducted pupils and teachers were reassured that security agencies remain committed to protecting lives and ensuring that perpetrators of criminal acts are brought to justice.
The announcement of the forest guard recruitment was welcomed by many as a proactive step toward improving safety and restoring public confidence in security efforts across Oyo State and beyond, see more…
