Stakeholders in Cross River State are calling on government authorities to greatly expand the recruitment of forest guards and rangers, saying the state’s large forest areas need stronger protection to tackle rising cases of crime, illegal mining, and environmental damage.
The renewed appeal follows President Bola Tinubu’s approval of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State after recent kidnappings of school pupils and teachers. Many observers say the move should not be limited to one state but extended nationwide, especially to states like Cross River with dense forest coverage.
The Chairman of the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Mr George Oben-Etche, said the state is already taking steps to align with the Federal Government’s forest security programme.
He explained that about 300 forest rangers were initially recruited by the state to improve monitoring and protection of forest reserves.
According to him, the Federal Government’s directive on forest guard recruitment should be seen as a national security strategy meant for all states, not a single intervention for Oyo alone.
He added that plans are ongoing to further increase the number of personnel working to secure forest areas across Cross River.
Similarly, the Commander of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Services in Cross River State, Mr Joseph Omini Ogburuwa, welcomed the initiative, describing it as an important step in addressing insecurity in forest regions across the country.
He urged the Federal Government to officially involve the group in forest security operations, noting that its members have strong local knowledge and experience in tracking criminals in remote areas.
According to him, the organisation has about 2,000 members in Cross River alone, while other states reportedly have even larger numbers, which could help fill existing security gaps if properly engaged.
Also speaking, forest ranger Mr Efiok Emmanuel raised concerns about the shortage of personnel covering the state’s vast forest zones, saying only about 400 rangers are currently available despite growing security pressures.
He recalled that Governor Bassey Otu had in 2024 approved plans to recruit 2,000 additional rangers to strengthen forest protection, but said the initiative was not fully implemented.
He also noted that earlier proposals to recruit forest guards at the local government level were suspended.
Emmanuel stressed that restarting and expanding recruitment would significantly improve security operations and help protect both the environment and rural communities across Cross River State.