Forest Guards Abandon Posts In Kwara And Enugu Over Unpaid Salaries, Severe Hunger, And Inadequate Weaponry

ENUGU, NIGERIA — Security operations across forest reserves in Kwara and Enugu States face severe operational setbacks as deployed forest guards reportedly abandon their posts over months of unpaid salaries, extreme hunger, and inadequate equipment.

​The forest guard initiative, established to secure state reserve borders against illegal logging, kidnapping, and armed banditry, is struggling under severe logistical constraints. Personnel deployed in remote border areas report going unpaid for extended periods, leaving many unable to afford basic food items or support their families while stationed on active duty.

​Beyond financial delays, guards have raised alarms over severe weapon disparities between state operatives and armed criminal syndicates operating within deep forest terrains. Operatives report being deployed with outdated firearms and insufficient ammunition, rendering them vulnerable during encounters with heavily armed illegal loggers, poachers, and non-state armed groups.

​The abandonment of patrol posts poses significant risks to public safety, agricultural activities, and environmental conservation in both states, leaving vast border areas unmonitored. Civil society groups and local community leaders are calling on the respective state governments to immediately address salary backlogs, supply proper welfare rations, and upgrade security gear to restore operational efficiency.