Nigeria is intensifying efforts to combat insecurity in its vast forest regions, long used as hideouts by armed groups, kidnappers, and bandits.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 additional forest guards to secure remote areas, gather intelligence, and support security operations.

The guards will protect forest reserves, assist in search-and-rescue missions for abductees, and serve as first responders and community protectors, operating under the coordination of the National Security Adviser.

The move comes as attacks on communities and abductions persist nationwide.

According to Amnesty International, at least 1,000 people were kidnapped between January and April this year.

In May, armed men attacked three schools in Oyo State, abducting 39 students and seven teachers. Security analysts caution that recruitment alone is insufficient.

However, security analyst John Ret says the government must go beyond recruitment by investing in intelligence gathering and surveillance technology.

“It's not about numbers. Recruiting 1,000 guards will not fix the problem. You don't need 1,000 people—you just need drones to fly over those places. In a single night, we could detect where these people are and conduct rescue operations.”

Salis Mohammed Abdulsalam, another expert, stresses the importance of a broader security strategy that combines local intelligence, modern technology, and stronger policing. He warns that security operations must also account for the risk of collateral damage, as kidnappers often use victims as human shields and deliberately conceal their locations.

“What the public may not know is that kidnappers are strategic in their operations. They ensure that victims are not kept in one location, making it harder for security forces to track them down.

The locations where ransom payments are collected are often far from where victims are being held. In many cases, kidnappers collect ransom about 30 kilometers away from the victim's location and then release the victim roughly 60 kilometers from the ransom collection point,” he said.

The government maintains that forest guards have already proven effective in certain areas and will help close security gaps in remote communities. Officials also support wider reforms, including the establishment of state police forces.

Nigeria hopes the expanded force will disrupt armed groups' activities in forested areas and improve security in vulnerable communities.

(With input from CGTN Africa reporter Tesem Akende)