Falana asks Tinubu to deploy 1,000 forest guards in Borno

Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Borno State in order to address the region’s escalating insecurity.

In a statement released on Monday, Falana called on the federal government to replicate the measures already taken in Oyo State, where the president recently approved forest guard recruitment and dispatched a high‑powered delegation after the abduction of pupils and teachers.

“Borno deserves the same level of attention, especially given the number of people still in captivity,” Falana said. “In view of the fact that not less than 415 abducted school children and other citizens are in the illegal custody of bandits and terrorists in unknown forests in Borno State, the President should also dispatch a high‑powered federal delegation to visit the state in solidarity with the people.”

He stressed that urgent action is required to strengthen security in the North‑East. “The President should equally approve the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for the state without any further delay,” Falana added.

The senior lawyer emphasized that the proposed guards must receive proper training and be fully equipped to confront armed groups. “The forest guards must be well trained and fully equipped to confront the bandits and terrorists who are armed with AK‑47 and other dangerous weapons,” he said.

Falana also asked the federal government to review ongoing legal actions against members of the Nigeria Forest Security Service, arguing that the recent endorsement of the forest guard initiative should influence such cases. He urged Attorney‑General Lateef Fagbemi to discontinue the case involving some members of the group. “Since the Federal Government has now embraced the forest guard initiative, the Attorney‑General should discontinue the criminal case pending at the Federal High Court against the seven leaders and members of the Nigeria Forest Security Service,” he said.

Falana maintained that taking these steps would not only improve security in Borno but also demonstrate a commitment to protecting lives and restoring public confidence.