Forest Guard CG Approves Forensic Training for Officers, Begins August with CIFSSN
By Genesis Ogiri | Abuja, Nigeria – July 9, 2025
In a strategic effort to enhance forest protection through intelligence-led operations, the Commandant General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, Dr. Joshua Osatimehin, has approved a comprehensive forensic and security training initiative for officers and personnel nationwide. The program is to be conducted by the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Security Studies, Nigeria (CIFSSN) and will commence in August 2025.
The approval came during a high-level meeting in Abuja between the Commandant General and the Institute’s Director General, Ambassador Dr. Okocha Morgan, where both parties signed an agreement signaling the start of a nationwide capacity-building drive aimed at fortifying Nigeria’s forest security architecture.
Dr. Morgan, a seasoned forensic expert and security strategist, stated that the Institute has previously conducted high-level paramilitary analysis and forensic assessments for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on the direct orders of the CG, following a spate of avoidable casualties suffered by their officers in field operations.
“We discovered that many personnel were being deployed without sufficient forensic intelligence or tactical awareness,” Dr. Morgan said. “We stepped in to provide an evidence-based analysis that helped prevent further loss of life. We are bringing the same expertise to the Nigerian Forest Guard.”
He emphasized that forest guards are no less vulnerable, as rising insecurity within forest zones exposes them to the same dangers faced by other national security outfits. The DG assured the Commandant General that the Institute would subsidize training fees for the officers as a commitment to national development and internal stability.
“We are not here for profit—we are here for purpose,” Dr. Morgan added. “This initiative will empower officers with forensic reasoning, crime scene analysis, intelligence documentation, and legal reporting skills.”
He further highlighted that the Chartered Institute has trained personnel across various military and paramilitary services in Nigeria and affirmed that the forest guards would be integrated into this national effort. In what has been described as a gesture of patriotic support, the DG also announced that training fees would be reduced significantly for forest officers to ensure inclusivity and wide participation.
“This is not just a training program; it’s a strategic investment in national security, especially in safeguarding our natural reserves, borders, and rural communities,” Dr. Morgan said.
Commandant General Osatimehin commended the Institute’s previous work and described the new training partnership as a critical intervention in the evolving security landscape. He directed all Forest Guard commanders to mobilize officers in preparation for the August training cycle.
“Today’s forest guard must be a blend of protector, investigator, and community liaison,” Osatimehin said. “Our forests are no longer just ecological zones—they are now contested spaces requiring strategic, forensic-based defense.”
In a symbolic gesture recognizing the importance of rural security, the CG also announced plans to establish a Forest Guards Base in Morgan Village, located in Egbudu-Aka community, Aniocha LGA of Delta State—the ancestral home of Dr. Morgan. The location, he said, would serve as a strategic operational hub to combat rising insecurity in the region.
Security experts have praised the move as a bold shift from reactive to proactive forest defense, especially at a time when Nigeria's forest corridors are being infiltrated by armed herders, illegal miners, traffickers, and militant groups.
Analysts say the integration of forensic training into forest security operations could revolutionize how forest-related crimes are investigated and prosecuted, ultimately deterring criminal activity and preserving both lives and ecosystems.
As Nigeria prepares for the launch of the training program, many see this development as a national model for cross-sectoral collaboration between academic institutions and frontline security agencies.
“The future of security is forensic,” Dr. Morgan concluded. “Without intelligence, there is no defense.”
As the countdown to the training commences, all eyes are now on the Chartered Institute and the Forest Guard Command to implement what many describe as a milestone initiative in Nigeria’s environmental and internal security framework.
Security experts have described the initiative as a timely intervention in Nigeria’s internal security architecture. With forests increasingly becoming safe havens for criminal activity, the integration of forensic training is seen as a critical step toward equipping frontline personnel with the tools to operate intelligently and safely.
“You cannot defend what you do not understand,” said Dr. Okocha Morgan. “Forensic knowledge is no longer optional — it is the difference between blind enforcement and strategic security.”
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