Abdullahi Bokaji Adamu, Country Director of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), has said forest guards can help Nigeria weaken insurgency and banditry if they are properly trained, equipped, and integrated into the country’s security architecture.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Adamu said the idea of forest guards is strategically sound.
He warned that the initiative will fail if it is treated as a political project rather than a professional security programme.
As a security analyst, my short answer is yes, forest guards can help, but only under clear conditions. On their own, they will not automatically eliminate insurgency. Their effectiveness depends on how they are integrated, equipped, supervised, and politically protected.”
He explained that many of Nigeria’s security challenges including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and arms trafficking rely heavily on forests and ungoverned spaces.
“For years, criminals have enjoyed familiarity with forest terrain, the absence of permanent security presence, and slow response from conventional forces.” he said.
“Creating forest guards is an attempt to deny criminals safe havens, which is a core counter-insurgency principle,So in theory, the programme is strategically correct,” he said.
However, Adamu stressed that forest guards are not a silver bullet for ending insurgency.
“Insurgency is not defeated only by guns. It requires intelligence dominance, territorial denial, population trust, and economic and political solutions. Forest guards address only one critical layer territorial control of forests and hard-to-reach areas.”
According to him, if properly deployed, forest guards can play a major role in intelligence gathering.
“Local forest guards understand footpaths, hideouts, and water points. They notice strange movements faster than outsiders and can detect early warning signs,” Adamu said.
If they are properly trained in intelligence reporting, this alone is a major gain.”
He added that forest guards can also help deny criminals safe sanctuaries.
“Criminal groups survive because they retreat into forests after attacks and regroup without pressure. A permanent forest presence disrupts regrouping and forces criminals to stay on the move, which weakens them.”
Adamu noted that forest guards should support, not replace, the military and police.
“They should guide troops, hold cleared areas, and prevent re-occupation after operations. This is where Nigeria has failed in the past.”
The IHRC director, however, warned of serious risks if the programme is poorly implemented.
“If training is rushed, politically motivated, or more ceremonial than tactical, effectiveness will be very limited. Forest operations require navigation skills, counter-ambush tactics, survival training, and basic intelligence tradecraft. Without these, guards become soft targets.”
He also cautioned against under-equipping forest guards.
“If criminals carry AK-47s, RPGs, and machine guns, while forest guards have light rifles, poor communication, and no backup, the programme becomes dangerous and counterproductive,” Adamu said.
On command and control, he described it as critical.
“If forest guards answer to politicians, lack clear rules of engagement, or operate without military coordination, they risk becoming vigilantes, tools of local politics, or targets of infiltration,” he warned.
“They must be under a clear security command structure, not political control.”
Adamu further raised concerns about infiltration by insurgents and bandits.
“Without strong vetting, background checks, and continuous monitoring, some guards may leak intelligence or assist criminals. This has happened before in similar initiatives.”
He said the effectiveness of forest guards would vary by region.
“In states like Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, forest guards can help contain movement, but insurgency defeat still depends on sustained military pressure and good governance,” he said.
“In Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara, they can be very useful against banditry and kidnapping, especially along forest corridors linking states.”
Adamu outlined key conditions for success, including close collaboration with the military, adequate arms and protection, regular and fair payment, and serious use of intelligence reports.
“Cleared forests must be permanently held, and communities must trust them. Without these, the programme risks becoming symbolic rather than strategic.”
In his final assessment, Adamu said forest guards can weaken and disrupt insurgency but cannot defeat it alone.
“If Nigeria treats forest guards as a long-term security institution, professionally managed and properly integrated, they can become a game-changer. But if they are under-funded, poorly supervised, and driven by politics, they will fade away like many past initiatives.”
Recall that on Saturday, the Federal Government announced the graduation of more than 7,000 newly recruited forest guards drawn from seven frontline states after completing a three-month training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative.
Speaking at the ceremonies, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, described the initiative as a decisive step toward restoring state authority and protecting vulnerable communities.
He said, “These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel. They are first responders, community protectors, and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture. They will hold ground, gather intelligence, and support security agencies in reclaiming territories previously overtaken by criminal elements.”
The NSA announced that the deployment of certified forest guards will begin immediately, with all personnel heading straight to their assigned posts.