Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the recruitment of 2,600 additional forest guards as part of renewed measures to strengthen security and restore peace in vulnerable parts of the state.
The new intake comes months after the government engaged 700 forest guards who are already deployed to the frontline in collaboration with security agencies to combat banditry and other criminal activities, particularly in Kwara North and South.
According to the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor, Akeweje Olayinka Fafoluyi, the 2,600 new recruits will begin intensive training this week. The programme, he explained, will include advanced military drills, handling of sophisticated weapons, and the use of modern strategies for neutralizing threats in forests and border communities.
“This renewed recruitment drive underscores Governor AbdulRazaq’s commitment to strengthening the state’s security architecture and ensuring that criminal elements are flushed out of our forests,” Fafoluyi said in a statement issued Thursday.
The government described the move as a proactive step to reinforce security presence, protect rural dwellers, and ensure lasting peace in affected communities. It added that the forest guards would complement the operations of the military, police, and other security agencies already stationed in various flashpoints.
Residents have welcomed the decision, with community leaders in Kwara North and South noting that the additional manpower will help reduce the spate of attacks on farmers and travelers, thereby encouraging socio-economic activities across the state.
The initiative, analysts say, is one of the boldest grassroots-driven security strategies in the North-Central region, signaling the administration’s determination to restore public confidence in government’s capacity to safeguard lives and property.
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