FGN mulls Environmental Tribunal Tribunal, Digital Innovation, as UNODC decries illegal wildlife trade in Nigeria.
Oru Leonard
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has said that the Federal Government of Nigeria has kicked started the process to establish an Environmental Tribunal, include Environmental Laws in the school curriculum and introduce digital innovation to stem the menace of wildlife encroaching and illegal trade.
Minister of Environment disclosed this on Tuesday in his keynote address to commemorate the 2024 Wild Life Day themed: “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Conservation,” Abass noted that this year’s theme underscores the pivotal role of technology in safeguarding our precious wildlife.
He said, “In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, technological advancements offer us unprecedented opportunities to enhance conservation efforts and forge deeper connections between humanity and the natural world. From cutting-edge monitoring systems to innovative data analytics, digital tools empower us to better understand, protect, and preserve our wildlife.
“As we commemorate World Wildlife Day, we must recognize the critical importance of leveraging digital solutions to address the myriad of challenges facing our planet’s ecosystems notably combating illegal wildlife trade, mitigating habitat loss, tackling the impacts of climate change among others.
“By leveraging innovative solutions, we not only amplify our capacity to protect endangered species but also foster greater connectivity between people and the planet they call home.
“Digital conservation transcends geographical boundaries, fostering global collaboration and knowledge sharing among scientists, conservationists, and communities worldwide. By harnessing the collective power of technology, we can unite in our efforts to safeguard biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come
The Minister urge participants to reaffirm commitments on the significance of the World Wildlife Day, to harness the transformative potential of digital innovation in conservation.
He commended the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), for their unparalleled support towards the fight against Wildlife trafficking, the German Government, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), Born Free USA, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), TRAFFIC International, Africa Nature Investors (ANI), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Wild Africa Fund (WAF).
In his goodwill message, Oliver Stolpe, the country representative of UNODC in Nigeria, noted that the importance of preserving and protecting Nigeria’s rich biodiversity had some key findings from the Wildlife Chapter of UNODC’s Organised Crime Threat Assessment for Nigeria published in 2023.
“The assessment found that Nigeria is a key transit hub and consolidation point for various forms of illegal trade in wildlife and forest products, especially for pangolin, ivory and rosewood,” Mr Stolpe said.
“These products are sourced both from Nigeria as well as from other countries in the region, including Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin Republic”, he revealed.
According to UNODC’s World Wildlife Seizures Database, more than a thousand records between 2011 and 2020 indicate Nigeria as a source, transit or destination country or where the offender was a Nigerian national.
He commended the Nigeria Customs Service, pointing out that seizures at Nigeria’s land, sea and airport border points had increased.
The National Park Service (NPS), through the Conservator General, Ibrahim Goni who was represented by Assistant Conservator General, Dr Moh’d Kabir said the 2024 Wildlife Day was celebrated to create awareness of the need to preserve wildlife, especially animals and plants, from extinction.
“Furthermore, the Parks harbor several species of fauna and flora many of which are critically threatened. Some key fauna species found in the Parks include, Lion, Panthera leo, Elephants Loxodonta Africana, Gorilla Gorilla gorilla dielhi, Nigeria Cameroon Chimpanzee Pan troglodyde ellioti etc.
“The conservation of these species requires strong commitment by the government towards ensuring healthy environment to guarantee their safety”, he stated
