By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and National Park Service have established an inter-agency committee to combat illegal wildlife trafficking in Nigeria.
The Conservator-General of the National Park Service, Ibrahim Goni, disclosed this in Abuja when members of the Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) visited the service’s headquarters.
Goni said the committee had conducted raids leading to the seizure of live animals, carcasses and other wildlife specimens.
He explained that Nigeria was frequently used as a transit route for wildlife specimens trafficked from neighbouring countries, including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, to international destinations through its seaports.
He called for stronger collaboration with environmental journalists to expose illegal activities threatening the country’s forests and protected areas.
The Conservator-General identified illegal mining, poaching, illegal logging, banditry and kidnapping as major challenges facing conservation efforts.
He disclosed that the National Park Service, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, had shut down two illegal mining sites in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, spanning Taraba and Adamawa states, dislodging more than 4,000 miners.
Goni also raised concerns over forest destruction, claiming that Nigeria was losing close to 300 hectares of forest reserve daily.
He said the country had 17 national parks, 13 of which were operational, adding that their expansion was partly aimed at restoring degraded vegetation and supporting climate change mitigation.
The Conservator-General urged journalists to increase public awareness of wildlife protection, deforestation, flooding, erosion and other environmental challenges. He also pledged to consider professional training opportunities for EMCAN members within the service’s budget.
Earlier, EMCAN Chairman Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah said the association was committed to strengthening engagement between environmental agencies and the media.
Adah noted that inadequate access to information limited coverage of the National Park Service’s activities, adding that the association was ready to partner with the service to publicise its conservation initiatives and educate Nigerians about wildlife protection.
The meeting ended with both organisations expressing commitment to stronger collaboration in promoting environmental conservation and public awareness.
