530 Pioneer Forest Guards: IDRUFEM Commends Ododo, Charges Personnel to Secure Forests, Rural Communities

– Says “No one can better secure our forests and communities than our own people”

Dr. Idris Rufus Oluwafemi, popularly known as IDRUFEM, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in the 2027 House of Representatives election, has commended the Kogi State Government for the successful training and passing out of 530 pioneer forest guards as part of renewed efforts to strengthen security across the state.

IDRUFEM particularly applauded Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for supporting the initiative, describing the recruitment and training of the personnel as a significant step towards enhancing grassroots intelligence, protecting forest corridors and tackling criminal activities in rural communities.

The ADC candidate, in a statement, said the initiative had become particularly important against the backdrop of the security challenges confronting parts of Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, especially communities in Bunu land that have experienced attacks by bandits, including killings, kidnappings and disruption of legitimate economic activities.

He said political considerations should not be allowed to undermine initiatives capable of saving lives and protecting communities, stressing that the forest guards could play a crucial role in denying criminals access to forests and other remote locations often exploited as hideouts.

“No one can better secure our forests and communities than our own people. This initiative is therefore a welcome development, particularly at a time when our rural communities need stronger and more coordinated security presence,” IDRUFEM stated.

He, however, urged the state government to ensure that the newly trained personnel are adequately equipped, motivated and provided with the operational resources required to effectively discharge their responsibilities.

According to him, the investment in training must translate into measurable security outcomes, warning that the exercise should not become “another training in futility” due to inadequate logistics, equipment or institutional support.

IDRUFEM specifically charged the 60 forest guards drawn from Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency to remain disciplined, professional, resolute and committed to protecting the people and territory entrusted to their care.

He urged them to deploy effective surveillance, intelligence gathering and community-based security strategies to identify and frustrate criminal activities, while preventing forests within the constituency from becoming safe havens for bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements.

“Be professional in your surveillance of our expansive forest regions and in intelligence gathering. Work closely with relevant security agencies and communities to prevent criminal safe havens in our federal constituency,” he added.

IDRUFEM further called for sustained collaboration among the forest guards, traditional institutions, local communities and conventional security agencies, noting that effective grassroots intelligence remains critical to confronting insecurity in hard-to-reach rural areas.

He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting policies and initiatives capable of improving security, livelihoods and economic prosperity across Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu and Kogi State, stressing that a secure environment remains fundamental to agriculture, commerce, education and sustainable community development.