Obi Questions Tinubu’s Approval of Forest Guards in Oyo

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has questioned the federal government’s reported approval to recruit 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State. Obi said that Nigeria’s security challenges demand a broader, coordinated strategy rather than piecemeal state‑by‑state measures.

Obi made the remarks in a statement posted on his official page in response to reports that President Bola Tinubu had authorized the recruitment of forest guards for Oyo amid growing concerns over insecurity nationwide.

He argued that while increasing security personnel is necessary, such actions should be part of a structured national plan instead of being implemented independently by each state.

The former Anambra State governor noted that several states—including Oyo, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Borno, Katsina, Anambra, Niger, Imo and Sokoto—are currently facing various security challenges.

He asked whether similar approvals would be granted to all states and the Federal Capital Territory or whether the decisions would be made selectively.

“The question is whether all the states will receive the same approval to recruit 1,000 forest guards per state, or is the recruitment approval based on the mood of the President?”

“While recruiting more security personnel for Oyo State and the country is important, it should be done in a more organised and well‑thought‑out manner,” Obi stated.

He also expressed concerns about the future of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps, and whether the new recruitment initiative could impact its operations in Oyo State.

According to Obi, Nigeria’s security challenges are linked to broader governance and development issues, including unemployment, economic hardship and the underutilisation of the country’s resources.

“The pervasive insecurity we currently have is directly related to the failure of our ecosystem, particularly leadership,” he said.

Obi argued that tackling insecurity requires a holistic or ecosystem approach, involving efforts to strengthen national unity, create jobs and improve productivity across key sectors of the economy.

“Addressing our insecurity situation requires a holistic or what can be described as an ecosystem approach,” he added.