By Segun Fagbemi, Ilorin
The Kwara State Government has announced that training for the newly recruited 2,600 forest guards will commence this weekend.
The Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Mr Olayinka Fafoluyi, disclosed this in Ilorin while speaking with newsmen.
Fafoluyi said the new recruits would complement the efforts of the 700 forest guards earlier deployed across strategic forests in the state to flush out bandits and restore peace.
According to him, the training will be conducted by officers and men of the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Sobi, and will also cover strategic engagements in swampy and riverine areas to ensure effective operations across the state.
He said, “Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has approved the recruitment of 2,600 additional forest guards as part of ongoing efforts to tackle security challenges in Kwara North and South.
“The new recruits will join the 700 forest guards earlier engaged, who are already working with security agencies at the frontline to combat banditry and restore peace in affected communities.”
He added that, like their predecessors, the 2,600 recruits would undergo advanced military training, including the handling of sophisticated weapons and modern strategies for neutralising threats on the battlefield.
“This renewed recruitment drive underscores the governor’s commitment to strengthening the state’s security architecture and ensuring that criminal elements are flushed out to restore lasting peace in Kwara,” he said