2027 presidential hopeful Peter Obi has criticized President Bola Tinubu over the approval of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State, arguing that the move reflects a reactive rather than strategic approach to tackling insecurity.

Obi said: “This is a further demonstration of poor leadership and attending to very serious governance and security issues with a reactive approach.”

While acknowledging the need for stronger security measures, Obi questioned whether similar approvals would be extended to all states facing security challenges.

“The question… is whether all the states will receive the same approval to recruit 1000 forest guards per state… or is the recruitment approval based on the mood of the President?”

He also raised concerns about the future of regional security outfits such as Amotekun Corps, asking: “With the approval for Oyo, what will happen to the Amotekun Corps that is trying its best to secure South-West Nigeria?”

According to Obi, Nigeria’s security crisis requires a comprehensive national strategy rather than isolated responses to individual incidents. He argued that insecurity is linked to broader challenges including unemployment, economic hardship, and governance failures.

The Federal Government approved the recruitment following recent kidnappings in Oyo State, with supporters of the move arguing that additional security personnel are needed to protect forests and rural communities.