Akure – The Ondo State Government has called on forest guards to leverage their knowledge of forest terrains to help tackle security challenges across the country.
The appeal came from the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Engr. Leye Akinola, during the annual conference of the National Association of Forestry Uniformed Staff of Nigeria (NAFUS) – popularly known as forest guards – held in Akure on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Forestry/Produce sub-sector, Chief Segun Odusanya, the commissioner urged forest guards to provide timely and useful information that could assist security agencies, including the Amotekun Corps, in curbing criminal activities within forest reserves.
Chief Odusanya noted that forest encroachers once feared forest guards due to their discipline and professionalism. He stressed that with proper training and forest regeneration, the sector could regain its former prominence and make forests inhospitable to criminals.
Engr. Akinola also commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for approving the recruitment of additional personnel into the Forestry sub-sector, assuring the guards that their welfare and operational challenges would be addressed.
Earlier, Mr. Victor Adeoti, head of Forestry Uniformed Staff in Ondo State, welcomed participants from all 36 states, highlighting the association’s mission to protect forest reserves, generate revenue, and promote the welfare of its members. He appealed to the government for improved working tools and benefits to enhance their effectiveness.
Meanwhile, the National President of NAFUS, Mr. Oluwasayo Anifowose, thanked the Ondo State Government for its support and pledged the association’s commitment to cooperate with authorities, promising to report any suspicious activities in the forests promptly.
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