Tinubu Approves Recruitment of 1,000 Forest Guards to Secure Katsina

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the recruitment and training of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security operations across Katsina State, in what Governor Dikko Radda has described as a major boost to ongoing efforts to restore lasting peace in the state.

Governor Radda disclosed the development on Tuesday while receiving a delegation of religious leaders drawn from across Katsina State at the Government House in Katsina.

“The day before yesterday, when we visited the President, he directed us to recruit 1,000 personnel who will serve as forest guards to protect our forests and other places of our people,” Radda said.

The governor said the Federal Government would bear full responsibility for training the recruits, providing them with arms, and paying their entitlements — a move he said would significantly enhance the effectiveness of the state’s security architecture.

Radda emphasised that the forest guards would complement the efforts of conventional security agencies and local security structures in combating banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities that have devastated several communities in the state.

The approval follows intensified efforts by both the state and federal governments to reclaim forests that have become bandit hideouts in the North-West region.

“The Federal Government’s intervention demonstrates President Tinubu’s determination to support states grappling with security challenges and to safeguard the lives and property of citizens,” Radda said.

Residents and stakeholders in Katsina have welcomed the development, expressing optimism that the additional security personnel will help curb criminal activities and restore confidence in affected communities.

Sources: Channels TV; Daily Trust