Forest guards deployed to tackle insecurity in Kwara State have lamented alleged unpaid allowances, inadequate weapons and poor welfare, raising concerns about their safety while operating in vulnerable communities.
The guards, who said they had been deployed to high-risk areas since December 2025, accused the state government of failing to meet its welfare obligations despite expecting them to confront armed criminals.
Their complaints have renewed concerns about the welfare and operational readiness of security personnel deployed to combat banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities in parts of Kwara State.
“We have been deployed since December 2025, but our allowances remain unpaid. We accepted this assignment because we wanted to help protect our communities, but the government has not fulfilled its obligations to us,” one of the guards said, according to a report by SaharaReporters.
Another guard alleged that personnel were being sent into forests to confront armed bandits without adequate weapons and operational support.
“We are expected to confront armed bandits in the forests, yet we do not have the weapons and support we need to do the job safely. How can you send people to fight insecurity without properly equipping them?” the guard said.
The personnel also expressed concern about their safety and their families’ welfare, insisting that they could not continue working indefinitely without receiving their entitlements.
“Our lives are at risk every day. We are the ones going into these dangerous areas, but when it comes to our welfare, nobody seems to care about us. We have families to feed, and we cannot continue working indefinitely without being paid,” another guard reportedly said.
Forest Guards Appeal to Kwara Government
The guards called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to address their grievances, pay outstanding allowances and provide adequate weapons and other operational equipment.
They stressed that their demands were aimed at ensuring they could perform their duties safely and effectively.
“We are only asking the government to pay what it owes us, provide adequate weapons and ensure our welfare. If the government wants us to continue protecting the people, it must also show that our lives and sacrifices matter,” one of the guards said.
The allegations have raised questions about the conditions under which security personnel operate in rural communities, particularly in areas vulnerable to attacks by suspected bandits and kidnappers.
Previous Complaints Over Forest Guards’ Welfare
The latest allegations echo previous complaints by forest guards deployed to parts of Kwara State over unpaid salaries, poor welfare and inadequate weapons.
A report published by SaharaReporters in August 2026 said some personnel deployed to Kaiama, Patigi and Edu local government areas had reportedly begun returning to their bases after months of operating in remote communities without adequate support.
Some guards reportedly alleged that they had gone for more than three months without food or other welfare provisions, forcing them to depend on local residents.
The personnel also expressed concern about confronting criminal groups armed with sophisticated weapons while operating with limited equipment and access to reinforcements.
The complaints are particularly significant given the security challenges facing rural communities in Kwara, where forest corridors have been associated with attacks by suspected bandits and kidnappers.
Concerns Over Federal Forest Guards Initiative
In December 2025, the Federal Government announced the graduation and deployment of forest guards under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative.
The programme was designed to deny terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups safe havens in forests and remote areas through collaboration between state governments and relevant security agencies.
However, the latest allegations from Kwara raise concerns about whether personnel are receiving regular remuneration, adequate welfare provisions and the equipment required to carry out their assignments effectively.
The guards have urged the state government to address their outstanding entitlements, improve their working conditions and provide the necessary operational support to strengthen security in vulnerable communities.
