The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has rated Kaduna State's forest guard training programme as the best conducted anywhere in Nigeria since the launch of the presidential forest guards initiative.The commendation was delivered by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who was represented by Sani Sani, Director of Internal Security at ONSA, during the graduation ceremony of the pioneer batch of armed forest guards in Kaduna State.
According to Ribadu, assessments carried out across participating states showed that Kaduna recorded the highest-rated training programme among all forest guard formations evaluated so far.
He said the quality of the training demonstrated Kaduna State's commitment to strengthening security and protecting rural communities from criminal activities.
The National Security Adviser pledged that the Federal Government would gladly approve future requests from the Kaduna State Government for additional forest guard training if the programme continues to maintain its high standards.
Ribadu explained that the newly trained forest guards are expected to serve as the first line of defence within their respective communities before conventional security agencies arrive during emergencies.
He noted that the recruits received comprehensive instruction in weapons handling, physical fitness, combat readiness, civil-military relations, cooperation with other security agencies, community engagement and adherence to the rule of law.
According to ONSA, more than 1,000 forest guards successfully completed the Kaduna training programme before graduating.
Ribadu said the trained personnel would help strengthen community resilience by responding quickly to security threats while supporting intelligence gathering in vulnerable areas.
He explained that the forest guards are expected to work closely with conventional security agencies by providing valuable local knowledge of forests, footpaths and remote settlements often exploited by criminal groups.
The initiative forms part of the Presidential Forest Guards Programme launched by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025 to reclaim forests and ungoverned spaces from bandits, kidnappers and other armed groups.
The programme focuses on recruiting indigenous residents who possess detailed knowledge of local terrain, making intelligence gathering and surveillance more effective.
ONSA said many of the recruits were selected from communities directly affected by insecurity because of their familiarity with local forests, rivers and difficult-to-access routes.
Officials believe this community-based approach will improve early warning systems while denying criminal groups safe havens within Nigeria's forests.
The Kaduna graduation follows the Federal Government's recent expansion of the forest guards initiative to additional states as part of broader efforts to combat kidnapping, banditry and violent crimes nationwide.
Under the expanded programme, more than 9,000 forest guards have now completed training across participating states.
Kaduna, Edo and Kogi are among the latest states to benefit from the initiative, with state governments expected to support the welfare, deployment and operations of the trained personnel.
Security experts believe the initiative could significantly strengthen intelligence-led operations by improving collaboration between local communities and conventional security agencies.
Ribadu reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to supporting innovative security strategies capable of improving safety in rural communities and restoring public confidence across the country.
He urged the graduating forest guards to apply their training responsibly while remaining committed to protecting lives, supporting lawful security operations and defending their communities against criminal elements.