Reliable sources told our correspondent that the delay was causing serious concern for stakeholders especially as insecurity had continued to worsen.
President Tinubu in May 2025 approved the recruitment under the renewed national forest policing initiative aimed at curbing banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, particularly in forested and rural communities.
He directed each state to recruit between 2,000 and 5,000 forest guards.
The initiative followed a meeting between the President and state governors in February 2024, during which both tiers of government agreed to recruit forest rangers and invest in training and logistics.
On December 10, Tinubu further directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to expedite the training and arming of the forest guards as part of intensified efforts to address worsening insecurity nationwide.
However, more than seven months after the directive, the scheme has yet to take off.
A senior official of the Nigeria Forest Security Service, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that the optimism generated by the presidential announcement had faded.
“We were all excited when the recruitment plan was announced, but that excitement is wearing off because there has been no clear communication. The delay is largely due to bureaucratic bottlenecks within the NSA and the DSS.
“There are several administrative clearances and inter-agency procedures that must be completed. The challenge has been translating the directive into action because of multiple layers of approval, documentation and coordination among security institutions,” the official said.
Warning that the delay was heightening anxiety in communities vulnerable to attacks, the source added, “There is growing agitation from communities across the country. Insecurity is worsening, especially in areas surrounded by forests that have become safe havens for bandits and kidnappers. Without trained forest guards on the ground, criminals continue to exploit these gaps.”
The official also dismissed reports that recruitment had secretly commenced.
“About two weeks ago, there were reports that recruitment had started quietly, but that is not true. Top officials in the NSA invited our commander and asked him to issue a rejoinder to debunk the report,” he said.
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