Bureaucratic bottlenecks and unresolved inter-agency disagreements have continued to stall the recruitment of forest guards approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, raising concerns among security stakeholders amid worsening insecurity across the country.
Reliable sources told that more than seven months after the presidential directive, the forest guard recruitment scheme is yet to take off, largely due to the absence of a clear operational and administrative framework among key security agencies.
President Tinubu had in May 2025 approved the recruitment of forest guards under a renewed national forest policing initiative aimed at curbing banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, especially in forested and rural communities.
As part of the directive, the President ordered each state of the federation to recruit between 2,000 and 5,000 forest guards to secure forest reserves that have increasingly become hideouts for criminal elements.
The initiative followed a meeting between the President and state governors in February 2024, during which both levels of government agreed to collaborate on recruiting forest rangers and investing in their training, equipment and logistics.
On Dec. 10, 2025, Tinubu further directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to expedite the training and arming of the forest guards as part of intensified efforts to tackle the nation’s deteriorating security situation.
However, investigations by our source indicate that disagreements between the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services (DSS), which are jointly responsible for coordinating and implementing the recruitment, have delayed the process.
A senior official of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS), who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the initial optimism generated by the presidential announcement had waned due to lack of clear communication and action.
“We were all excited when the recruitment plan was announced, but that excitement is wearing off. The delay is largely due to bureaucratic bottlenecks within the NSA and the DSS.
“There are several administrative clearances and inter-agency procedures that must be completed. Translating the presidential directive into action has been difficult because of multiple layers of approval, documentation and coordination among security institutions,” the source said.
The official warned that the delay was heightening anxiety in vulnerable communities, particularly those surrounded by forests.
“Insecurity is worsening in many areas. Forests have become safe havens for bandits and kidnappers. Without trained forest guards on the ground, criminals continue to exploit these gaps,” the source added.
He also dismissed reports suggesting that recruitment had commenced quietly, describing them as false.
“About two weeks ago, there were reports that recruitment had started secretly. That is not true. Officials in the NSA’s office invited our commander and asked him to issue a rejoinder to debunk the reports,” he said.
Similarly, the National Secretary of the Professional Hunters
Association of Nigeria, Mr Igyem Dalandi, attributed the delay to the absence of a clear framework defining recruitment modalities and responsibility for salaries between the Federal Government and the states.
Dalandi said the uncertainty had negatively affected existing forest guards, hunters and other local security actors expected to be integrated into the scheme.
“There is already an existing forest guard structure. What the President likely intended was to reactivate and strengthen it, not necessarily to create an entirely new organisation. That is why hunters and other stakeholders are stranded,” he said.
He added that the association had not been consulted on either recruitment or remuneration.
“As of now, the government has not reached out to us. We have not been carried along or contacted for our input,” Dalandi said.
He further expressed concern that the initiative might be taken over by state governments pursuing independent security arrangements.
“Many governors are already pushing their own security outfits as forest guards. In Plateau State, for example, people are currently undergoing training at the Civil Defence training school, with their passing-out scheduled for this Saturday,” he said.
According to him, hunters, vigilantes and paramilitary groups are being trained under state-led arrangements, raising fears that the original federal plan could be sidelined.
Reacting to the concerns, the Commander-General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, Mr Joshua Osatimehin, said the delay was due to the need for careful planning and coordination among security agencies.
“Security issues must be handled cautiously to avoid aggravating existing problems. All relevant agencies are working to resolve the bureaucratic bottlenecks,” Osatimehin said.
He explained that the initiative required input from the military, police and other security agencies to ensure effectiveness and sustainability.
“This is a security outfit in the making, and all stakeholders must be properly aligned. Nigerians should expect a more consolidated and pragmatic approach very soon,” he said.
Osatimehin acknowledged public anxiety over rising insecurity but urged patience, assuring that the Federal Government remained committed to implementing the initiative.
“People are agitated because of the level of insecurity. But they should give the government more time. The President has approved the initiative; the responsible agencies must now ensure it is implemented properly,” he added.
Efforts by the source to obtain comments from the Office of the National Security Adviser were unsuccessful, as calls to the phone line of the NSA’s spokesman, Mr Ismail Garba, went unanswered, while text messages sent to him had not been responded to as at the time of filing this report.
