The commissioning of 530 pioneer Forest Guards by the Kogi State Government marks a significant shift in the state’s approach to tackling insecurity. Beyond expanding security personnel, the initiative reflects a deliberate strategy to reclaim vast forest reserves that have long served as hideouts for kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has described the programme as part of a broader security architecture aimed at restoring public confidence, protecting communities and making the state safer for investment.
The initiative is being implemented under the Presidential Forest Guard Programme in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS). It seeks to reclaim forest corridors that have increasingly become operational bases for kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminal groups.
Kogi occupies a strategic position in Nigeria as the gateway connecting the North, South, East and West. Sharing boundaries with 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the state is a critical transit hub for the movement of agricultural produce, manufactured goods and commuters. Consequently, insecurity within its forests has implications not only for residents but also for interstate trade, transportation and national security.
Effective surveillance of forests and improved intelligence gathering can reduce criminal activities, improve response times and deny armed groups safe havens. If sustained, the initiative could reduce incidents of kidnapping and attacks on farming communities, enabling residents to return to productive economic activities.
The economic implications are equally significant. Security remains one of the strongest determinants of investment decisions. A safer environment encourages agricultural production, boosts commerce along major highways, supports mining operations and promotes tourism across the state. As investor confidence grows, businesses are more likely to expand operations, create jobs and increase internally generated revenue.
Speaking during the training and commissioning of the Forest Guards, Governor Ododo identified the state’s vast ungoverned forests as one of its greatest security vulnerabilities.
“One of the major security challenges confronting the state is the vast expanse of forests that have remained largely unoccupied and unguarded, creating opportunities for criminal elements to establish hideouts and launch attacks on innocent citizens.”
The governor also issued a strong warning to criminal elements.
“There will be no safe haven for terrorists, bandits and other violent criminals operating within Kogi State.”
Residents who spoke on the initiative expressed optimism that it would improve their livelihoods. They noted that agriculture remains one of the state’s largest employers, with thousands of households cultivating cassava, yam, maize, rice, cashew and other crops.
According to them, many farming communities located near forest reserves have suffered disruptions due to insecurity.
“Improved forest surveillance could encourage displaced farmers to return to their farms, increase cultivated land and improve food production.”
According to the World Bank and other development institutions, insecurity increases the cost of doing business, discourages private investment, disrupts agricultural production and weakens supply chains.
For the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the newly commissioned Forest Guards will significantly improve security across the state. He described the initiative as a major step towards tackling criminal activities in forested areas while strengthening the case for state policing.
“Most of the criminals terrorizing local communities hide in the forests. Now we have the gatekeepers. Forest Guards will strengthen our security architecture and protect our forest resources. For me, this is the game changer. The seamless manner in which Kogi trained 530 Forest Guards has also shown that we are ready for state policing.”
Travellers passing through Kogi also welcomed the initiative. They observed that because the state serves as a gateway between northern and southern Nigeria, any disruption to security along its highways or forest corridors has ripple effects on interstate commerce and national supply chains. They urged the government to sustain the initiative through continuous funding, regular training, intelligence-led operations, modern surveillance technology such as drones and geographic information systems, and stronger collaboration with local communities.
The Kogi State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (Rtd), has consistently emphasised the need for proactive security measures and close collaboration among security agencies and local communities to combat criminal activities across the state.
Security experts say the long-term success of the Forest Guard initiative will depend not only on the number of personnel recruited but also on sustained investment in equipment, intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination. They argue that when farmers can cultivate without fear, transporters can move goods safely, miners can operate confidently and investors can commit long-term capital, security becomes the foundation of economic transformation.
Ultimately, the success of the Forest Guards should be measured by tangible outcomes such as safer forests, fewer kidnapping incidents, secure highways, increased agricultural production, renewed investor confidence and stronger economic activity.
If these objectives are achieved, the commissioning of the 530 Forest Guards may well be remembered not only as a security milestone but also as a strategic investment in Kogi State’s future prosperity.
