KADUNA – The Kaduna State Government has recorded what Governor Uba Sani described as “another significant milestone” in its security drive with the Passing-Out-Parade of over 1,000 Armed Forest Guards on Saturday.
The ceremony was held at the Department of State Services, DSS, Development Centre, Afaka, Kaduna. It was conducted in strategic partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, and the DSS.
Posting on his X handle, Governor Sani said the initiative marks a decisive step in strengthening the state’s security architecture.
According to him, the newly trained personnel will serve as first responders within their communities. They will work in close collaboration with conventional security agencies to enhance surveillance, deepen intelligence gathering, and “deny criminal elements the opportunity to exploit our forests as sanctuaries for violence and criminality.”
The 1,000 Armed Forest Guards were selected from the existing 7,000 personnel of the Kaduna Vigilance Service, KADVS. Their operational capacity has now been enhanced through specialised training.
Under the established rules of engagement, the guards will be equipped with higher-grade firearms compared to KADVS personnel. This, the governor said, gives them greater capacity to confront and defeat terrorists and other criminal elements.
Governor Sani added that their deployment to their immediate communities will strengthen intelligence gathering and operational effectiveness. He noted that their knowledge of the local terrain will enable them to identify threats quickly and respond decisively.
Kaduna Passes Out 1,000 Armed Forest Guards to Secure Communities, Forests
