In a country already burdened with multiple security agencies, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent approval of the Nigerian Forest Guard Corps has ignited fierce debate among security experts, political analysts, and ordinary citizens.
The new paramilitary force, announced on May 14, aims to secure Nigeria’s 1,129 forest reserves from terrorists and bandits. But as recruitment plans for up to 185,000 personnel take shape, a critical question emerges: Is this new agency filling a genuine security gap, or merely creating another layer of bureaucracy in Nigeria’s complex security architecture?
A response to ungoverned spaces
Proponents of the Forest Guard Corps point to the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria’s vast forested regions. The notorious Sambisa Forest in Borno State has long served as a stronghold for Boko Haram, while dense forests in the Northwest have become operational bases for bandits and kidnappers.
Dr. Fatima Ibrahim, Security Analyst, Centre for Democracy and Development:
“These forests have become ungoverned territories where criminals operate with impunity. Neither the police nor the military has been able to effectively secure these areas due to terrain challenges and resource constraints.
The new Corps, operating under the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Federal Ministry of Environment, represents a specialised response to this specific security challenge.
Duplication of efforts?
Critics, however, argue that Nigeria doesn’t need another security agency but rather better coordination among existing ones. They point to various vigilante groups already active in forest security:
Retired Colonel Mohammed Adamu:
“We already have the Civilian Joint Task Force in the Northeast, Amotekun in the Southwest, Ebubeagu in the Southeast, and numerous local hunter associations. In Adamawa State, local hunters helped reclaim cities from Boko Haram as far back as 2013, while Bauchi’s Professional Hunters Association recently neutralized 60 bandits.”
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also maintains an Agro Rangers unit specifically tasked with protecting farms and rural areas. This existing framework, critics argue, could be strengthened instead of creating an entirely new agency.
Resource Implications
Nigeria’s security budget, already stretched thin across nine major paramilitary organisations, faces additional pressure with the establishment of the Forest Guard Corps. The proposed recruitment of 2,000-5,000 guards per state represents a significant financial commitment at a time when existing agencies complain of inadequate funding.
Chukwuma Nwankwo, Economic Analyst:
“The question isn’t whether forest security matters—it absolutely does. The question is whether creating a new agency is the most efficient use of our limited resources when we could instead properly equip and train existing personnel for specialized forest operations.”
Integration vs. creation
Security experts suggest that rather than establishing a new corps, the government could formalise and integrate existing vigilante groups under a coordinated framework.
Professor Amina Zubair, Nigerian Defence Academy:
“Local vigilantes possess invaluable knowledge of terrain and communities that formal security agencies often lack. The challenge is providing them with proper training, equipment, and oversight—objectives that could be achieved without creating an entirely new agency.”
The Northern Christian Youth Professionals have expressed concern that without transparent recruitment guidelines, the Corps risks becoming another political tool rather than an effective security force.
Command Challenges
The dual federal-state framework of the Forest Guard Corps raises questions about its command structure and coordination with other security agencies.
James Alobi, Security Analyst:
“Operational details remain unclear, particularly regarding how the Corps will coordinate with the military and police in joint operations.”
This concern is amplified by Nigeria’s history of inter-agency rivalry, which has sometimes hindered effective security responses to emerging threats.
Community Perspective
In rural communities most affected by forest-based insecurity, reactions to the new Corps are mixed. In Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State, a hotspot for banditry;
Malam Usman, Village Head, Batsari Local Government Area, Katsina State:
“If they recruit people who know these forests and are properly armed, they could help us. But if this is just another government promise without proper implementation, nothing will change.”
Others worry that formalising forest security under a new agency might actually undermine the community trust that local vigilantes have built over years.
The Path Forward
As the Nigerian government moves to implement the Forest Guard Corps, security experts recommend a phased approach that incorporates existing vigilante structures rather than replacing them.
“Success will depend on how well the Corps integrates local knowledge while providing the professional training and oversight that informal groups sometimes lack,” concludes Dr. Ibrahim. “Most importantly, recruitment must remain transparent and depoliticised to ensure the Corps serves security objectives rather than political interests.”
Whether the Nigerian Forest Guard Corps represents a necessary innovation or redundant duplication will ultimately be determined by its implementation and effectiveness in addressing the specific security challenges of Nigeria’s forests. For a nation grappling with multiple security threats, the stakes could not be higher.
