Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to reclaiming the state’s forests from criminal elements, declaring that there will be no refuge for terrorists, bandits, or other violent offenders operating within the state.
The governor made the statement on Sunday during a visit to the training camp of newly recruited forest guard trainees in Lokoja. He emphasized that his administration would continue to deploy all lawful measures necessary to protect residents and visitors while restoring security across the state.
“There will be no safe haven for terrorists, bandits and other violent criminals operating within the state. We are determined to rid Kogi of criminal elements, and we will deploy all lawful resources necessary to guarantee the safety of residents and visitors,” he said.
Addressing the trainees, Mr Ododo urged them to carry out their duties with discipline, patriotism, and dedication to service. He noted that vast and largely unmonitored forest areas in parts of the state have increasingly become hideouts for criminal groups, enabling attacks on innocent citizens and posing significant security challenges.
“The vast and largely unguarded forest areas in some parts of the state have become a major security challenge, providing hideouts for criminal groups and enabling attacks on innocent citizens.
“The recruitment and training of forest guards form a key component of the state’s security strategy, which is aimed at strengthening surveillance, denying criminals access to safe havens and improving the capacity of security agencies to respond effectively to threats,” he said.
According to the governor, the forest guard recruitment and training exercise is being carried out under the Forest Guard Programme approved by President Bola Tinubu. The initiative is being implemented through the Office of the National Security Adviser in partnership with the State Security Service (SSS) and other security agencies.
Mr Ododo also commended the Director-General of the SSS, Adeola Ajayi, for the agency’s support in enhancing security operations within the state. He explained that the SSS is responsible for supervising the profiling and training of the recruits to ensure professionalism, competence, and accountability throughout the programme.
The governor stressed that while his administration is committed to increasing security personnel, it remains focused on ensuring that only individuals with proven integrity, loyalty, and strong character are entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding lives and property.
The visit to the training facility came a day after Mr Ododo inspected the first batch of armoured personnel carriers acquired by the Kogi State Government to boost the operational effectiveness and combat readiness of security agencies.
The development follows President Tinubu’s approval of the nationwide Presidential Forest Guards Initiative on May 15. The programme is designed to secure the country’s 1,129 designated forests and eliminate the presence of terrorists, bandits, and other criminal gangs through a collaborative effort between the federal and state governments.
