Peter Obi Slams President Tinubu’s Deployment of 1,000 Forest Guards to Oyo State

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent approval to recruit 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State, labelling the policy a prime example of poor leadership. The federal security intervention was hastily announced after a high-powered presidential delegation visited the Oriire Local Government Area, where armed bandits had previously raided multiple schools and marched dozens of pupils and teachers into the wilderness. In a strongly-worded statement titled What Our Pervasive Insecurity Requires: A Holistic Not Reactive Approach, Obi argued that managing serious national security challenges through isolated, crisis-driven reactions does nothing to solve the root causes of the crisis.

The former Anambra State governor drew direct parallels between this sudden security directive and the administration's major economic policies, asserting that the hasty deployment of forest guards mirrors the same uncoordinated approach that led to the immediate removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira. He stressed that while expanding the nation's security personnel is undoubtedly important, it must be executed within a well-thought-out and highly organized ecosystem rather than acting as a temporary media band-aid to make the presidency appear attentive and courageous. Obi pointed out that with nearly all thirty-six states currently battling severe insecurity, including extreme flashpoints in Plateau, Katsina, Borno, and Sokoto, the federal government has failed to explain whether every state will receive equal approval for 1,000 guards or if national defense strategies are simply being dictated by the president's fluctuating moods.

The opposition leader further questioned how the new federal forest guards would integrate with existing regional operations, specifically raising concerns about whether the move would undermine or completely disband the South-West's indigenous Amotekun Corps. Lamenting that leadership failures have directly contributed to the tragic deaths of over 10,000 innocent Nigerians since 2023, Obi concluded that true national security cannot be achieved without a comprehensive blueprint that unifies the country, drives industrialisation, and harnesses agricultural and mineral resources to create viable jobs for a rapidly expanding youth population.