Bomba Dauda
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening security with the passing-out parade of more than 1,000 Armed Forest Guards trained through a strategic partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The graduation ceremony, held on Saturday at the DSS Development Centre in Afaka, Kaduna, marked what the governor described as a significant step in reinforcing the state’s security architecture.
Sani said the newly trained personnel would serve as first responders in their respective communities, working closely with conventional security agencies to improve surveillance, strengthen intelligence gathering, and prevent criminal elements from using forests as safe havens for terrorism and other crimes.
According to the governor, the 1,000 Armed Forest Guards were selected from the existing 7,000 personnel of the Kaduna Vigilance Service (KADVS) and received specialised training to enhance their operational effectiveness.
He explained that, under the approved rules of engagement, the operatives would be equipped with higher-grade firearms than those previously issued to KADVS personnel, enabling them to confront terrorists and other criminal elements more effectively. Their deployment within their local communities, he added, would improve intelligence gathering due to their familiarity with the terrain.
Governor Sani also disclosed that the representative of the National Security Adviser commended Kaduna State for being the first in the country to approach the Federal Government for the establishment and training of Armed Forest Guards.
He further revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser described Kaduna’s training programme as the most successful of its kind in Nigeria.
The governor expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the DSS, and other security agencies for their support in strengthening security across the state.
Building on the success of the initiative, Sani announced that he had requested the training of an additional 1,000 Armed Forest Guards to further enhance Kaduna State’s security framework.
He congratulated the pioneer graduating class and commended their families for their support, reiterating his administration’s commitment to investing in proactive, intelligence-driven security initiatives aimed at protecting lives, preserving peace, and creating an enabling environment for sustainable development.
