By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Conservator-General of the National Park Service, Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni has paid a condolence visit to Gashaka Gumti National Park, Taraba State.
The Gashaka Gumti Park lost three officers, CPR Ibrahim Magaji (OC Mora), PR1 John Paul and ACPR Simon Benko in December, 2019 in the course of discharging their duties.
During the visit, the CG noted that the country needs more prayers than ever before in the face of different challenges.
He said the purpose of his visit was to condole with the families of the three departed officers in particular and the staff of Gashaka-Gumti National Park in general.
Goni emphasised that National Park Service had played vital roles in the fight against insurgency, as the personnel are working with the Army to protect the protected areas.
He noted that the Service had also suffered from the atrocities perpetrated by bandits and insurgents, since part of the Chad Basin National Park had been taken away.
He assured the personnel that the issue of fire arms was being looked into.
He also warned the staff to desist from conniving with anybody carrying out any illegal activity within the Park, stressing need for them to be of good conduct and cooperate with the management.
Goni commended the Conservator of Park Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Dr. Mohammed Abba Kura Kabir and his management for assisting the bereaved families of the deceased.
Welcoming the CG and his team, CP Kabir, stated that the Park had lost six (6) officers in the last five years, but that the killing of two officer on 16th December, 2019 and one officer on 20th December, 2019 are the most shocking.
Dr. Kabir mentioned banditry, illegal mining, increase in cultivation within and around the Park, especially in Bodel, Goje and Mayo Selbe areas of the Park, decrease in the work force, especially field staff and unsophisticated fire arms as constituting the major challenges militating against effective protection.
The CG was accompanied by the Assistant Conservator-General in-charge of Park Ecology and Resource Management, Dr. A. Okeyoyin.
The CG later paid condolence visits to the respective families of the three deceased officers, where he presented gifts were to them.
