The Yobe State Government says it has recruited, armed and deployed 1,886 trained forest guards to support military operations against Boko Haram insurgents across the state.
The Special Adviser on Security Matters to the state government, retired Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam, disclosed this during an interview with defence correspondents in Damaturu on Tuesday.
According to him, the forest guards were deployed to complement troops of Operation HADIN KAI, local hunters and other security agencies in tackling insurgent activities in remote communities and forest areas.
Abdulsalam said Yobe has remained one of the states most affected by insurgency since the extremist movement first emerged in Kanama in 2003 before escalating into a full-scale insurgency in 2009.
He explained that the security crisis intensified from 2011, forcing the state government at the time to support military operations through logistics, operational vehicles, troop allowances and feeding.
“From 2011 to 2015, the state government solely supported many aspects of the operation because the initial federal attention was largely concentrated on Borno State,” he said.
The security adviser identified Gulani, Gujba, Damaturu, Tarmuwa, Bursari, Yusufari and Geidam local government areas as the worst affected due to their proximity to Borno State and border routes linked to Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
He noted that insurgents often infiltrate Yobe from neighbouring areas in Borno to launch attacks before retreating.
According to him, Bulabulin Forest in Yusufari Local Government Area remains the only known major insurgent enclave within the state.
Abdulsalam praised the efforts of the military, the Department of State Services, local hunters and vigilante groups in disrupting insurgent movements and supply routes.
He said local hunters had become more effective through operational collaboration with security forces, enabling them to conduct covert operations against terrorist groups.
“They now carry out stealth operations disguised as traders or locals, strike Boko Haram elements and safely return. They have recorded tremendous successes,” he stated.
The adviser also commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, and the Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, for supporting community-based security initiatives.
According to him, Oluyede personally supported about 200 local hunters with logistics, allowances and operational equipment to strengthen security operations in vulnerable communities.
Abdulsalam stressed that the vast terrain of Yobe makes it difficult for conventional troops alone to effectively secure all affected areas, making the role of forest guards and local hunters essential.
He added that the newly recruited forest guards had already been placed on salary structures and deployed to strategic flashpoints across the state.
The adviser further disclosed that the state government continues to provide welfare support for families of fallen local hunters and security volunteers assisting the military.
