The deployment of 1,000 armed Forest Guards across Delta State is aimed at restricting the use of forest corridors as hideouts by bandits and other criminal groups, the state government has said.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, disclosed this on Friday during a meeting with members of the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association of Delta State (COMTOA) at Government House, Asaba.
Emu said the guards, who are armed with AK-47 rifles, would strengthen security operations in forest areas and vulnerable communities, including locations around Delta and neighbouring Bayelsa and Edo states.
He expressed confidence that the deployment would make it more difficult for criminal groups to operate from forest locations, which he identified as areas requiring stronger security attention.
The SSG said the government’s security strategy was intended to sustain peace and enable residents to travel, trade and conduct their daily activities without fear of attacks or intimidation.
He described security as a necessary condition for economic recovery, arguing that businesses and other productive activities could not thrive where residents were afraid to move freely.
Although he acknowledged the economic hardship facing Nigerians, Emu expressed optimism that conditions would improve as security agencies intensified efforts to maintain peace and stability.
“Nigerians are going through hardship, yes, but this hardship will ease off. This is the first government that is getting security back on track, with every security agency working to restore peace and stability,” he said.
Emu also called on commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators to support the state’s security efforts, stressing that their daily movements and presence in communities made them important stakeholders in identifying and reporting suspicious activities.
He urged the association to promote discipline among its members and encourage cooperation with security agencies and other relevant authorities.
The SSG maintained that the responsibility for sustaining peace extended beyond government and formal security agencies, saying transport operators and other residents also had roles to play in protecting lives and property.
The deployment comes amid the state government’s efforts to strengthen security around vulnerable communities and restrict criminal activities in forested areas.
However, the government’s ability to sustain the operation and demonstrate its impact on criminal activity will be important in determining whether the deployment delivers lasting security gains.
