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Launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2025, the PFGI is a coordinated federal-state security intervention designed to reclaim Nigeria's vast forested areas from criminal exploitation by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other hoodlums. The initiative aims to deny these groups sanctuary in ungoverned spaces, thereby strengthening internal security and protecting vulnerable communities.
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In a statement from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, described the graduates as "first responders and community protectors" equipped with indigenous knowledge of local terrains to gather intelligence and support other security agencies. "These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel. They are a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture," Ribadu said during the ceremonies.
Ribadu emphasized immediate deployment: "There will be no delay between graduation and deployment. Salaries and allowances will commence immediately, and every certified guard will proceed directly to assigned duty posts." He added that the programme achieved a 98.2 percent completion rate, with 81 trainees disqualified on disciplinary grounds and two tragic deaths due to pre-existing medical conditions.
The guards, all indigenous to their respective local government areas, underwent rigorous training in physical conditioning, patrol operations, tactical movement, arms handling, use-of-force procedures, and ethics. The curriculum was delivered by instructors from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Park Service, and National Intelligence Agency.
The PFGI is an inter-agency effort led by the NSA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, operationally coordinated by the DSS and National Park Service. Ribadu reaffirmed the government's commitment: "By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people. The Federal Government will not relent. This initiative will expand nationwide as part of our sustained effort to build a safer and more secure Nigeria."
The graduation represents a significant step in addressing persistent insecurity in forested regions, particularly in the North, where banditry and insurgency have displaced communities and hampered development.
