By Ademola Adekusibe
10th December 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately intensify the training and arming of additional forest guards as part of urgent national measures to combat escalating kidnapping and terrorism across the country.
In a decisive statement underscoring the government’s readiness to adopt aggressive strategies, President Tinubu noted the persistent threats posed by criminal networks operating within Nigeria’s forest corridors. “We face challenges here and there of kidnapping and terrorism. We need all the forces we can utilize. We need to protect our people,” the President said.
The order expands on earlier approvals for the creation of a national forest security service, designed to secure the country’s vast forest reserves that have become notorious as operational bases for bandits and insurgents. President Tinubu emphasized the need to deploy fully equipped and well-trained personnel capable of denying criminals safe havens while restoring stability to vulnerable rural communities.
The directive comes amid broader ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, including a declared national security emergency and a push for expanded recruitment across security agencies. The NSA, working with relevant ministries and security institutions, has been tasked with ensuring rapid implementation to reinforce nationwide protection for citizens.
