It is easy to dismiss an equipment inspection as routine government ceremony. But when the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Mohammed Goje, stood in for Governor Mai Mala Buni to inspect motorcycles and gear for Yobe’s Forest Guards, he did more than represent the governor. He put the state’s most senior civil servant in front of the tools that will decide whether this security initiative works.
Newly procured motorcycles lined up as officials inspect the equipment meant to strengthen security across Yobe State.
That matters. In Nigeria, many good security programmes fail because of what happens after the announcement: equipment is delivered late, guards are stranded without mobility, or the programme loses attention once the cameras leave. By inspecting the items himself, Dr Goje showed that this one has the attention of the highest levels of the state government.
The initiative is a serious one. It involves 800 trained personnel from frontline Local Government Areas, trained under the supervision of the Nigerian Army’s 27 Task Force Brigade. The motorcycles, boots and mosquito nets are practical items that answer real needs. Forests are wide and difficult to patrol. Guards who cannot move quickly or stay healthy in the bush cannot protect the communities that depend on them.
Government officials and security personnel inspect the motorcycles procured for Yobe State’s Forest Guards.
But an inspection is a starting point. Dr Goje’s role now is to make sure that attention turns into sustained support. That means fuel, maintenance and welfare for the guards, and regular coordination with the Army and other security agencies. Communities should be able to see a real difference in their safety, not just in the number of motorcycles.
Yobe has taken a step in the right direction. The test now is follow-through, and as the head of the state’s civil service, Dr Goje is well placed to make sure the Forest Guards have what they need for as long as they are needed.
Muhammad Kukuri is a writer from Yobe State, with keen interest in Nigerian politics and journalism. He can be reached at 07062733187, mohkukuri@gmail.com.
