The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Print Media, Malam Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, has stated that forest guards have already been recruited in 10 Northern states, while recruitment is being planned for additional states.
Abdulaziz made the clarification amid criticism from some people who accused the Federal Government of only recruiting forest guards in Southern states, particularly Oyo State.
Reacting in his social media handles, he said: “Since yesterday, when newspapers began reporting the plan to recruit 1,000 Forest Guards in Oyo State following recent kidnapping incidents, I have noticed some people from the North on social media complaining or suggesting that only ‘favoured groups’ are being considered.
“In their view, this is something being done solely for the Yoruba because insecurity is affecting them. That is not the case.
“At the moment, there are already 10 states where Forest Guard units have been established, and all of them are in Northern Nigeria. In each of these states, about 1,000 personnel have been recruited.”
Abdulaziz listed the states as Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Kwara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, and Benue.
He also revealed that the following states are in the process of establishing their own Forest Guard units: Kaduna, Edo, Kogi, and Bauchi.
It will be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently directed the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State following the abduction of students and their teachers by terrorists on May 15, 2026, in the Ogbomoso axis of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The coordinated attacks occurred on Community Grammar School, Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota.
