Tag: forest guards

  • Army chief vows to contain terrorism as calls grow for state policing and forest guards

    Army chief vows to contain terrorism as calls grow for state policing and forest guards

    In an update published by The Guardian Nigeria, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, says the Army is committed to containing the terror threat while reviewing doctrine and training for 2026 operations.

    The remarks were delivered around the Army’s doctrine and training conference, framed as an annual reset to adapt to a more complex security environment.

    Alongside the military messaging, a public-policy think tank urged deeper reforms, arguing lasting results require reclaiming ungoverned spaces through state policing and institutional forest guards.

    The broader signal is that Abuja’s security conversation is moving beyond deployments to governance design—who polices what, how forests are secured, and how accountability is shared.

    Vanguard separately reported the COAS “promises enhanced security” during engagements in Niger State. ThisDay also carried the operational push, reporting the Army would “deploy more troops… to crush terrorist attacks.”

    Echotitbits take: The test is coordination—intelligence fusion, forest control, and prosecution pipelines. Watch whether state-level security structures gain clear legal backing or remain ad-hoc.

    Source: Punch – https://punchng.com/army-will-curb-terrorists-attacks-in-niger-nationwide-coas/ January 7, 2026
    Punch Nigeria January 7, 2026

    Photo Credit: Punch

  • FG prepares deployment of 7,000 forest guards across northern states

    FG prepares deployment of 7,000 forest guards across northern states

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-28 09:00:00

    In a report published by Punch, the federal government said thousands of newly recruited forest guard operatives have completed training ahead of deployment across northern states.

    The initiative is presented as part of a wider push to curb banditry and improve security in forested corridors often linked to armed groups.

    TheCable’s newspaper roundup said “7,000 newly recruited forest guards… have completed a three-month intensive training programme,” reflecting how multiple dailies framed the move as a new layer in the security architecture.

    Echotitbits take: The headline number is less important than command-and-control, rules of engagement, funding, and coordination with police, DSS and the military. Watch whether the programme becomes community-embedded intelligence—or just another uniformed layer with unclear accountability.

    Source: The Punch — December 27, 2025 (https://punchng.com/fg-to-deploy-7000-forest-guards-in-north/)

    The Punch 2025-12-27