FG Graduates 7,000 Forest Guards Across Seven States

27 December 2025

The Federal Government has announced the graduation of over 7,000 newly recruited forest guards following the completion of a rigorous three-month training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative (PFGI).

The graduation ceremonies, held simultaneously on Saturday, December 27, 2025, took place across seven frontline states: Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi.

The initiative, launched by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025, aims to reclaim Nigeria’s ungoverned spaces by denying terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers access to the nation’s forests.

According to a statement from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the new recruits underwent intensive training focused on physical conditioning, patrol operations, tactical movement, and ethics.

The curriculum also included arms handling and use-of-force procedures in line with approved manuals.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed that the guards would be deployed immediately to their respective posts without delay.

“There will be no delay between graduation and deployment. Salaries and allowances will commence immediately, and every certified guard will proceed directly to assigned duty posts,” Ribadu stated.

He described the guards as “first responders and community protectors” who will leverage their indigenous knowledge of the terrain to gather intelligence and support other security agencies.

The training programme recorded a 98.2 percent completion rate. However, the ONSA disclosed that 81 trainees were disqualified on disciplinary grounds, while two trainees tragically passed away due to pre-existing medical conditions.

The successful graduates are all indigenous to their local government areas, a strategy designed to ensure community trust and effective monitoring of forest resources.

The PFGI is a collaborative effort involving the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Park Service, and other security agencies.

“By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people. The Federal Government will not relent,” Ribadu added, noting that the initiative will soon expand nationwide.