In an effort to address Plateau State’s security challenges and improve agricultural productivity, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 youths from the state to serve as forest guards.
The approval was disclosed by Vice President Kashim Shettima during a reception organised to welcome Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, into the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday. Shettima said the initiative is aimed at strengthening security, particularly in rural communities that have been affected by violence for more than two decades.
According to reports, over 11,000 people have been killed in Plateau State in the last 20 years, with recurring clashes between farmers and herders worsening insecurity across several local government areas.
Shettima said the recruitment of forest guards reflects the Tinubu administration’s commitment to delivering tangible dividends of democracy to the state, urging residents to support the federal government’s development agenda.
He added that the process would commence within weeks.
The Vice President also announced that contractors would mobilise to site within three weeks for the construction of the Akwanga–Jos Road, describing the project as critical to the economic and social wellbeing of Plateau residents.
In addition, Shettima revealed that Plateau State has been selected as the location for the flag-off of the national livestock development project, noting that the initiative forms part of broader interventions planned for the state.
He assured that the measures represent only the beginning of increased federal attention to Plateau State, stressing that more development initiatives would follow under the Tinubu administration.
