To bolster security operations throughout the state, the Yobe State Government has provided 160 motorcycles alongside various operational supplies to a cohort of 886 newly deployed forest guards.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Muhammad Goje, announced the distribution on Tuesday, saying the items were intended to improve the working conditions and operational capacity of the personnel.
The items include 900 raincoats, 900 pairs of rain boots, 900 blankets, 900 torchlights and 900 mosquito nets.
Goje said the intervention was made on behalf of Governor Mai Mala Buni to provide additional security support and strengthen the protection of lives and property in the state.
The Commander of the 27 Task Force Brigade, Buni-Gari, Brigadier General M.S. Mukhtar, described the donation as a force multiplier that would enhance the operational effectiveness of the forest guards.
He said the motorcycles would improve mobility, extend patrol coverage and strengthen rapid response to security threats, particularly terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities in the state.
He urged the forest guards to make judicious use of the equipment, particularly the motorcycles, in line with the purposes for which they were provided.
The brigade commander assured residents that the military and other security agencies were working to improve security across the state.
He also appealed for additional support to strengthen operations and enable residents to carry out their daily activities without fear.
Earlier, the governor’s Security Adviser, Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam (rtd), said Yobe was allocated an initial batch of 1,000 forest guards under a Federal Government pilot scheme.
He said the recruits were drawn from seven frontline local government areas: Gulani, Gujba, Damaturu, Tarmuwa, Bursari, Yunusari and Geidam.
According to him, 886 personnel successfully completed their training in December 2025 before undergoing further training under the Nigerian Army.
Abdulsalam said the personnel were deployed to various locations in March 2026 under the mentorship of the military, particularly the 27 Task Force Brigade.
He explained that the forest guards were established to help security agencies tackle criminal activities in forested areas and ungoverned spaces used by insurgents, kidnappers and other criminals.
The security adviser commended Governor Buni for the support but appealed for additional communication equipment, surveillance devices for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, and vehicles for administrative duties and patrols.
He also called on the governor to approve the recruitment of another 1,000 forest guards to strengthen the force and extend its operations to other parts of the state.
What You Should Know
The Yobe State Government has ramped up its security framework by officially equipping hundreds of newly trained forest guards with motorcycles and essential gear. These personnel were drawn from seven frontline local government areas and trained under the mentorship of the Nigerian Army to secure vulnerable and ungoverned spaces.
- Positive Impact: The provision of motorcycles and gear significantly improves the mobility, rapid response, and patrol range of forest guards, helping to curtail banditry, insurgency, and kidnapping in rural and forested zones.
- Potential Concerns: Security advisers have noted that the force still requires additional communication equipment, advanced surveillance devices, and more administrative vehicles to sustain and expand these operations effectively.
