Forest Guard Deployment to Spark Agricultural Resurgence, Says AFAN President

BAUCHI – The National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Hon. Muhammed Magaji Gettado, has lauded the Federal Government’s recent deployment of 7,000 forest guards, predicting it will serve as a major catalyst for farmers to return to their lands for the current dry season.

​Speaking to journalists in Bauchi, Gettado expressed optimism that the initiative would reclaim Nigeria’s agricultural heartlands from criminal elements and restore confidence among rural producers.

​The 7,000 guards—drawn from seven frontline states—graduated on December 27, 2025, following a rigorous training program coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The initiative is a direct result of the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2025.

​"The intervention will no doubt strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture by denying terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers sanctuary in forested and hard-to-reach terrains," Gettado stated.

​He noted that many farmers had previously abandoned their livelihoods due to persistent threats, but "this bold initiative will open the floodgates for easy access to farms" for both dry and wet season cultivation.

​The AFAN President highlighted the strategic nature of the deployment, which focuses on the following frontline states:

​Borno and Yobe

​Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi

​Adamawa, Niger, and Kwara

​The training for these guards was designed to be multidisciplinary, blending environmental conservation with advanced tactical security. Trainees underwent intensive mental conditioning, long-range patrol simulations, and ambush response drills to ensure they are mission-ready to protect vulnerable communities.

​While praising the Federal Government’s "ebullient and hardworking" approach to national security, Gettado urged state governments to collaborate fully with the new force.

​"We call on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government. AFAN assures its unflinching support in attaining this noble objective, which provides much-needed succor to our farmers across the length and breadth of the country," he concluded.