Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has commissioned more than 1,000 newly trained Forest Guards recruited by the state government in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Service (DSS).
The passing-out-parade was held at the DSS Development Centre in Afaka, with Governor Uba Sani serving as the special guest of honour.
The newly commissioned Forest Guards underwent intensive training to strengthen forests and rural communities affected by kidnapping and other criminal activities.
They will operate alongside other security agencies under operational guidelines provided by the Office of the National Security Adviser. The personnel will be deployed to key local government areas, including Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kachia, Kagarko, Kajuru, Chikun, and Igabi, to further enhance security across the state.
According to the Kaduna State Government, the security initiative is a product of strong partnership between the state and the Federal Government. To further support security operations, the government has also distributed 150 Hilux patrol vehicles and 500 motorcycles to security agencies, while recruiting 7,000 personnel into the Kaduna Vigilance Service (KADVS).
The government stated that these measures are already yielding positive results, citing the reopening of the Birnin Gwari cattle market after more than a decade of closure due to insecurity, as well as the reopening of.the Kidandan Market in Giwa Local Government Area, which had also remained shut for years because of security challenges.
The graduation of the Forest Guards represents another bold steps in Kaduna state’s broader security architecture, reinforcing Governor Uba Sani’s vision of building a safer, more peaceful, and economically prosperous state where citizens can live, work and invest without fear.
-9News Nigeria.
