National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has said the strong partnership between the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government is producing tangible results in the fight against insecurity across the state.
Ribadu stated this over the weekend during the graduation ceremony of the pioneer batch of Armed Forest Guards in Kaduna. He was represented by the Director of Internal Security at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Malam Sani Sani.
He commended the Kaduna State Government for the successful training of the forest guards, describing it as the best conducted in the country based on assessments carried out by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
According to him, the quality of the training has given the Federal Government confidence to support future requests from Kaduna State for similar exercises.
“From the evaluation that we carried out across the country, the training in Kaduna State has been recorded as the best at the moment. The Office of the National Security Adviser will have no hesitation in approving another request from Kaduna State if the governor wishes to continue the programme,” he said.
The NSA explained that more than 1,000 forest guards underwent intensive training in weapons handling, physical fitness, combat readiness, civil-military relations, community engagement, inter-agency cooperation and adherence to the rule of law.
He said the newly trained personnel are expected to serve as first responders within their communities by providing an initial line of defence against criminal elements before the arrival of conventional security agencies.
Ribadu recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the Armed Forest Guards initiative on May 24, 2025, to recruit and train indigenous residents to secure forests, protect ungoverned spaces, preserve biodiversity and safeguard critical natural resources.
He added that the initiative is designed to strengthen the country’s security architecture by denying terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups safe havens within forest areas, while the Office of the National Security Adviser provides strategic leadership and coordinates the training nationwide.
In his remarks, Governor Uba Sani thanked the National Security Adviser for his continued support and expressed satisfaction that Kaduna had set the benchmark for the training of Armed Forest Guards in Nigeria.
The governor formally requested the deployment and training of an additional 1,000 forest guards, stressing that security remains the top priority of his administration.
He recalled that when his administration assumed office in 2023, several local government areas were virtually inaccessible because of insecurity, but noted that the situation has improved significantly.
According to him, residents can now travel to many communities that were previously considered unsafe without requiring police escorts, describing the development as a major milestone in the state’s security efforts.
Governor Uba Sani said frontline local government areas such as Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Kachia, which were once under the control of armed groups, have witnessed remarkable improvements due to sustained collaboration between the Kaduna State Government, the Federal Government and security agencies.
He expressed optimism that the Federal Government would approve the request for another 1,000 Armed Forest Guards, pledging that his administration would continue to work with all stakeholders to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous Kaduna State.
