According to Governor Ahmed Ododo, the Kogi State Government will recapture the state’s forests from criminal elements.
Ododo made the announcement on Sunday while visiting the freshly recruited Forest Guard trainees’ training camp in Lokoja.
“Terrorists, bandits, and other violent criminals operating within the state will not have a safe haven.”
He declared, “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.”
The governor asked the guards to carry out their duties with discipline, patriotism, and a strong sense of duty.
Large, mostly unsecured forest regions in some parts of the state have grown to be a significant security threat, giving criminal organizations a place to hide out and facilitating attacks on defenseless people.
“The state’s security strategy, which aims to strengthen surveillance, deny criminals access to safe havens, and improve the capacity of security agencies to respond effectively to threats, heavily relies on the recruitment and training of Forest Guards,” he stated.
According to Ododo, the project is being carried out by the Office of the National Security Adviser in cooperation with the Department of State Services and other security organizations as part of the Forest Guard Program, which President Bola Tinubu approved.
He praised Tinubu for his dedication to bolstering national security and providing states with creative ways to address new security issues.
Additionally, the governor thanked Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Advisor, for his leadership and assistance in promoting security reforms throughout the nation.
Ododo also praised Adeola Ajayi, the Director-General of the DSS, for her assistance with security operations in Kogi.
He mentioned that in order to guarantee professionalism, competency, and responsibility, the DSS was in charge of the Forest Guard recruits’ training and profiling.
The governor emphasized that although his administration was dedicated to increasing the number of security personnel, it was still focused on making sure that only people with a track record of devotion, integrity, and good character were given the task of safeguarding people’s lives and property.
He said he was confident in the trainees and described them as a useful addition. The state government had hired personnel carriers to en
In order to make the state safer and more favorable for business and development, he reiterated that security remained a primary priority for his administration and promised further investments in staff, equipment, and intelligence-driven operations.
The governor gave locals the assurance that the government would keep stepping up its efforts until every area of the state was safe and people could go about their legal business without fear.
According to NAN, President Tinubu authorized the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative on May 15 in order to protect the nation’s 1,129 designated woods and drive out criminal gangs, robbers, and terrorists.
The federal and state governments are working together on the program.
(NAN)
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