By Seyi Taiwo-Oguntuase
As Nigeria continues to grapple with rising insecurity, experts say the forest guards initiative could be a game-changer if executed with integrity, inclusivity, and strategic foresight, warning against politicisation of the initiative.
Civil society advocates in separate interviews with Daily Independent threw their weight behind the Federal Government’s approval of deployment of forest guards across the country, describing it as a strategic step toward curbing growing insecurity in Nigeria’s rural and forested regions.
However, they also warned that the success of the initiative depends on professionalism, merit-based recruitment, and insulation from political interference.
Adewale Adeoye, Executive Director of Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), said while the move is laudable, its impact will be determined by the quality of training, the provision of modern surveillance equipment, and a genuine commitment to capacity building.
He cautioned against turning the initiative into a political patronage scheme for party loyalists, warning that such a move would undermine the mission.
“The forest guard should not become another avenue for political empowerment. Communities must own the process. This is not a constituency project for politically exposed persons,” Adeoye said.
He emphasised that only qualified individuals with the right education, passion, and dedication should be recruited into the corps, and called for the use of drones, bush-based command posts, and watchtowers to ensure proper coverage of forest zones.
“We don’t want forest guards patrolling the streets. They should have offices and camps right inside the bush. Their training must include human rights education and the professional handling of weapons so they are not turned into a repressive force,” he added.
Adeoye recalled how similar initiatives, such as Amotekun, faced setbacks due to political meddling during its inception.
In a similar vein, Comrade Aghedo Kehinde, Convener of Vanguard Liberations, welcomed the initiative as a “bold, focused and unconventional solution” to Nigeria’s worsening security situation, particularly the use of forests as hideouts by kidnappers, bandits, and insurgents.
“Nigeria’s forest zones have remained largely unsecured for too long, creating safe havens for criminals. This approval is a timely and necessary strategic shift that deserves national support,” Aghedo said.
He noted that by deploying trained personnel for bush surveillance and rural patrols, the government is addressing insecurity at its root.
“This will not only deny criminals their strongest advantage; ungoverned territory, but will also restore public confidence in rural and agrarian communities that have lived in fear,” he stated.
Aghedo stressed that the guards should complement, not compete with existing security agencies such as the police, military, and civil defence corps.
He also called for structured deployment, inter-agency collaboration, and proper oversight.
“It is a forward-thinking move that signals the government’s commitment to innovation, protection of lives, and restoration of peace in the nation’s most vulnerable areas,” he added.
Source: Independent