Army Stations 170 Forest Guards Across Kebbi Borders

The Nigerian Army has operationalised 170 forest guards to secure vulnerable communities in the Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State. Major General Bemgba Paul Koughna, Commander of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, formalised the deployment on Tuesday at the Kangiwa headquarters. The unit will operate under direct military control to flush out bandits and terrorists from the remote woodlands bordering the North-West. This move marks a pivot toward community-based security structures to augment regular troop numbers in difficult terrain.

Logistical support accompanied the deployment to ensure the guards remain functional in the bush. The Army donated 10 motorcycles, 170 sleeping kits, and significant food supplies to the new unit. These resources aim to solve the perennial problem of mobility in forested areas where standard patrol vehicles cannot navigate. Major General Koughna noted that the motorcycles will slash response times during distress calls from isolated farming settlements.

Discipline remains the primary concern for the military hierarchy. During the ceremony, the GOC conveyed a specific warning from the Chief of Army Staff against the misuse of weapons. The forest guards have been strictly cautioned not to turn their arms against law-abiding citizens. To ensure professionalism, the guards will be integrated into the military’s command-and-control framework rather than operating as an independent militia.

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Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, represented by Commissioner Haliru Aliyu Wasabu, described the intervention as timely. The state government has struggled to contain banditry in its northern fringes, where criminal gangs often use thick forest cover to evade aerial surveillance. By placing “boots on the ground” in these specific corridors, the government hopes to create a permanent security presence that deters kidnappings and cattle rustling.

The North-West region has increasingly relied on such hybrid security arrangements to bridge the gap left by an overstretched police force. Operation FANSAN YAMMA is the military’s latest attempt to consolidate gains against insurgency through “synergy and sustained commitment.” The success of the Kebbi model will likely determine if similar forest guard units are rolled out across other troubled states in the region.

For the residents of Arewa LGA, the deployment offers a cautious sense of relief. The presence of 170 armed guards familiar with the local geography could provide the intelligence edge that regular soldiers often lack. However, the true test will be the unit’s ability to maintain its morale and discipline during long-term field operations. The Army’s logistical donation is a down payment on a security strategy that prioritises local knowledge over brute force.