Armed personnel known as Park Rangers under the National Park Service are already performing similar duties expected to be handled by forest guards.
President Bora Tinubu has approved the establishment of forest security guards to protect Nigeria’s forests. Much of this is occupied by terrorist groups.
Many young Nigerians will be employed and trained to become members of the Forest Guard. On Sunday, Dare is the special adviser to the president of media and public communications, said in a statement Wednesday.
“The president has directed forest guards to be well trained and armed to carry out their duties, essentially washing away terrorists and criminal gangs hiding in the woods for criminal conduct,” the statement read. “This recruitment is a security-cooperative effort between the federal and state governments.”
According to the statement, the Office of National Security Advisors (ONSA) and the Ministry of the Environment are in charge and are directed to ensure full implementation.
“President Tinubu warned terrorists that his administration would not abandon the country’s territory to terrorists, bandits and other criminal gangs operating in the forest. President Tinubu vowed that the country would reclaim the forest,” added Dere.
Armed personnel known as Park Rangers under the National Park Service have already carried out similar duties and it is unclear whether the Nigerian government will maintain the two institutions for the same function or merge.
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Reservoir of fear
According to official records, there is a total of 1,129 forests nationwide. However, the Premium Times understands that many of these booked areas are under terrorist control.
For example, rebels in the northeast are hidden in the forests of San Bisa and other governing areas of the region.
It’s undoubtedly more worrying in the northwest, where terrorists known locally as bandits are hiding in forest reserves such as Kwaimbana, Kamukh, Banin Gwari and Rugh.
Using the porous boundary, these crime gangs connect to other forests in the north and southwest that maintain bases for Arawa Forest, Kainzi National Park, Old Oyo National Park, and other forests around the Ondo Axis.
Extremist separatists also control several forests in the southeastern part of the country.
