Kwara Deploys Forest Guards as Kidnappings, Bandit Attacks Spread Across Rural Communities
The Kwara State Government has deployed forest guards to vulnerable rural communities as kidnappings and bandit attacks continue to spread across forested and border areas of the state.
The deployment, carried out under the state’s security reinforcement strategy, is aimed at strengthening surveillance of forests and ungoverned spaces often used by criminal elements as hideouts and transit routes. The forest guards are expected to work alongside conventional security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and local vigilante groups.
According to government sources, the move follows growing concerns from residents over repeated cases of abductions, armed robbery, and attacks on farmers, particularly in communities close to forest reserves and interstate boundaries.
Several local governments in the northern and southern parts of the state have reportedly witnessed heightened criminal activity in recent months, disrupting farming activities and daily life.
A senior security official said the forest guards, who recently completed specialised training, have been equipped to patrol difficult terrains, gather intelligence, and deny criminals access to forest hideouts. “The focus is to secure farmlands, rural roads and forest corridors, while providing early warning and actionable intelligence to security agencies,” the official said.
The state government reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property, noting that insecurity in rural areas poses a direct threat to food production and economic stability.
Authorities also urged residents to cooperate with security personnel by providing timely information and avoiding self-help measures.
Community leaders have welcomed the deployment, describing it as a timely intervention, while calling for sustained presence and adequate logistics to ensure effectiveness.
Some residents, however, appealed for broader federal support, citing the porous borders between states that allow criminal gangs to move easily across regions.
Kwara joins a growing number of states strengthening forest security as part of wider efforts to curb banditry and kidnapping across the country.
