The Kaduna State Government has recorded a major milestone in its security architecture with the Passing-Out-Parade of over 1,000 Armed Forest Guards, trained in strategic partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The ceremony was held at the DSS Development Centre, Afaka, Kaduna, and witnessed by Governor Uba Sani, who described the graduation as a decisive step in strengthening the state’s security framework.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sani said the newly trained personnel would serve as first responders within their communities, working closely with conventional security agencies to enhance surveillance, deepen intelligence gathering, and deny criminal elements the opportunity to exploit the state’s forests as sanctuaries for violence and criminality.
The 1,000 Armed Forest Guards were drawn from the existing 7,000-strong Kaduna Vigilance Service (KADVS), whose operational capacity, the Governor noted, has now been significantly enhanced through specialised training. Under established rules of engagement, the guards will be equipped with higher-grade firearms than regular KADVS personnel, giving them greater capacity to confront and defeat terrorists and other criminal elements. Their deployment to their home communities, he added, would further strengthen intelligence gathering, as their familiarity with local terrain would enable swift identification of threats and decisive response.
Governor Sani commended the representative of the National Security Adviser, who acknowledged Kaduna State’s resolute commitment to security and disclosed that Kaduna was the first state to approach the Federal Government on the establishment and training of Armed Forest Guards. The Governor noted it was particularly gratifying that ONSA considers the state’s training programme the most successful of its kind in the country.
The Governor extended his profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and all security agencies for their steadfast partnership and support. Building on this success, he disclosed that he had requested the training of an additional 1,000 Armed Forest Guards to further reinforce the state’s security framework.
Governor Sani congratulated the pioneer graduating class and saluted their families for their sacrifices and support, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to proactive, intelligence-driven security initiatives that preserve peace, protect residents, and lay the foundation for enduring development and shared prosperity.
