The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, says collaboration between the Federal Government and Kaduna State under Governor Uba Sani is yielding results in the fight against insecurity.
Ribadu spoke at the graduation of the pioneer batch of Armed Forest Guards on Saturday. He was represented by Malam Sani Sani, Director of Internal Security at the Office of the NSA.
“We carried out evaluations across the country; the training in Kaduna State has been recorded as the best at the moment,” Ribadu said. He added: “The Office of the National Security Adviser will not have any doubt to grant another request to Kaduna State to continue this kind of training if the Governor wishes to do so.”
Ribadu said over 1,000 forest guards underwent rigorous training in weapons handling, physical fitness, battle readiness, community relations, civil-military cooperation and observance of the rule of law.
“The beneficiaries of this training are expected to go back to their respective communities and establish a first-line community resilience to resist every invading enemy of the state as first responders before the arrival of various security agencies,” he said.
He recalled that President Bola Tinubu launched the Armed Forest Guard initiative on May 24, 2025, “to commence training of indigenous people to protect our ungoverned spaces, particularly the forest belts, protect our biodiversity, watersheds and wildlife.”
Ribadu said the guards will form “a security architecture that will dominate the forest and deny criminal elements the freedom of action within our forest spaces.” He added that the president directed the NSA’s office to provide strategic leadership and manage the training nationwide.
Governor Uba Sani praised the NSA’s support and described Kaduna’s training as the best in the country. “I also want to use this opportunity to formally make an additional request of another 1,000 Forest Guards in Kaduna. In our state, security is one of the most important agenda of our government,” he said.
The governor said many local governments were inaccessible when his administration took office in 2023 but are now reachable without police escorts, calling it progress.
He named Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Kachia as frontline councils that were previously under siege but said the situation has improved through collaboration with the Federal Government and President Tinubu.
“We are making this additional request of 1,000 Forest Guards, and I have no doubt that the National Security Adviser and our leader will approve this request,” Uba Sani said. He pledged to continue building a peaceful, strong and prosperous Kaduna with support from stakeholders.
