By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Federal Government on Tuesday restated it’s zero tolerance to illegal wildlife trade at any level, just as confiscated elephant ivory worth $9.9 billion was publicly destroyed.
Minister of State for Environment Dr Iziaq Salako said the destruction would serve as a deterrent to the illicit wildlife traffickers who use Nigeria as their transit route.
He said Nigeria was committed in the fight against wildlife crime and will continue to honour all international obligations to protect its biodiversity.
“Today, a total of about 2.5 tonnes of ivories and elephant tusks specimen will be destroyed under the watch of the Federal Ministry of Environment and with the support of the Elephant Protection Initiative, EPI, African Fund, the US Embassy, United Nation Office on Drugs and Crimes, UNODC, Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, and Wild African Fund,” Salako said.
He said Nigeria has opted for the outright destruction of these stockpiles through pulverisation of elephant tusks and ivories, while pangolin scales and other skin products were earlier incinerated on 16th October 2023.
“Further to the method of destruction being adopted today, Nigeria is a party to many international environmental agreements to reduce the impact of Climate change on man’s health and environment, the Country has domesticated most of these agreements through enactment and promulgation of environmental laws and regulations, therefore, NESREA as an environmental Agency, has opted for pulverization method to dispose of the elephant tusk.” He stated.
The Minister said NESREA has continued in its collaborative efforts with other relevant stakeholders in combating illegal wildlife trade, IWT in Nigeria, which he said has continued to yield positive results through the seizures, confiscations and prosecution of wildlife offenders in the country.
Director General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, Aliyu Jauro, said the event will mark a significant milestone in the country’s effort to curb the illegal ivory trade and conserve elephants.
