The representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Oliver Stolpe said one of the findings of the 2023 wildlife chapter of UNODC’s Organised Crime Threat Assessment for Nigeria revealed that Nigeria is a key transit hub and consolidation point for various forms of illegal trade in wildlife and forest products.
Stolpe also said there are more than 1000 records between 2011 and 2020 indicating that Nigeria is a source, transit, or destination country, or that the offender was a Nigerian national.
Stolpe said this on Tuesday at an event organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment to commemorate the 2024 World Wildlife Day and to present the findings and recommendations of the International Consortium for Combatting Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit Assessment for Nigeria.
World Wildlife Day is celebrated every year on March 3rd to celebrate and recognise the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet.
The 2024 WWD theme ‘Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation’ underscores the pivotal role of technology in safeguarding wildlife.
The ICCWC Toolkit Assessment examines the effectiveness of the legal and regulatory environment, as well as of the institutional capacities of specialized law enforcement, prosecution, and the judiciary to prevent, detect, investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate wildlife and forest crimes.
Stolpe said, “As we remind ourselves of the importance of preserving and protecting Nigeria’s rich biodiversity, permit me to recall some of the 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.
“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 the Benin Republic. According to UNODC’s World Wildlife Seizures Database, there are more than 1000 records between 2011 and 2020 which indicate Nigeria as a source, transit or destination country, or where the offender was a Nigerian national.
“While thanks to the good work of the Nigeria Customs Service, seizures at Nigeria’s land, sea and airport border points have been on the rise, two-thirds of all seizures involving Nigeria were reported by the authorities of other countries. This suggests that interception capabilities still need to be strengthened, while enhanced information exchange and cooperation with relevant authorities in countries of origin, transit and destination offer opportunities for intelligence-led operations and parallel or even joint investigations to detect and dismantle trafficking networks.”
He noted that the report found that increased enforcement activities at the Apapa Port may be responsible for traffickers now increasingly using other Nigerian ports.
“The report further identifies border towns like Gaya in Niger, located close to the borders of both Nigeria and the Benin Republic, as a strategic site where wildlife products like elephant ivory and pangolin scales are kept prior to their import into Nigeria. Traffickers take advantage of festive and harvest seasons to move these illegal wildlife products, as authorities are less likely to search trucks during these high-volume periods when large quantities of animals and foodstuffs need to reach their destinations quickly.
“Another finding of the research suggests that armed groups are increasingly involved in the illegal harvesting and trafficking of rosewood, with nine park rangers losing their lives in violent encounters with persons involved in illegal logging in the Gashaka-Gumti National Park. in general, it appears that illegal logging activities continue, despite the 2018 trade suspension of rosewood from NigeriaNigeria,” he added.
He stated that further steps are required to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife and forest products.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal said there is a need to recognise the importance of leveraging digital solutions to address the myriad of challenges facing the planet’s ecosystems and combating illegal wildlife trade, mitigating habitat loss, and tackling the impacts of climate change.
Lawal said, “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
“Let us reaffirm our commitments as we reflect on the significance of World Wildlife Day, to harness the transformative potential of digital innovation in conservation. Together, let us strive to bridge the gap between humanity and nature, recognizing that our fate is intricately intertwined with the well-being of the natural world.”
The Minister, however, urged everyone to be mindful of the limitations and potential risks of digital conservation.
On his part, the Conservator General of the National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni said there is a need to scale up the fight against wildlife crime and the human-induced reduction of species.
Goni who was represented by the Assistant Conservator General of the service, Mohammed Kabir said, “You will agree with me that some of our protected and conserved areas that house a wide array of these unique wildlife resources are battling with security challenges, such as banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other crimes.”
