The Nigeria Government has demonstrated a strong commitment to the protection of biodiversity in the country with the ongoing evaluation of the country’s legislative frameworks to stop the unlawful acts that are persistently endangering the wildlife and natural heritage. Balarabe Abass, the Minister of Environment stated that the country is at a turning point in its efforts to protect its rich biodiversity and stop illicit activities that jeopardize Nigeria’s wildlife and natural heritage. This was mentioned during the launching event of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) toolkit assessment report.
Represented by Stanley Jonah, the ministry’s director of planning, research, and statistics, the minister emphasized that the county must take responsibility for the wide range of endemic, unique natural resources it’s endowed with. Wildlife crimes, such as poaching, illicit logging, and the trafficking of endangered species, have alarmingly increased over the last few decades. According to him, these crimes not only jeopardize our environment but also degrade the rule of law, encourage corruption, rob people of their means of subsistence, and compromise Public Health and natural security.
ICCWC toolkit evaluation report gives insights on the current situation.
According to him, the ICCWC toolkit evaluation report is an extensive and relevant study that offers a clear-eyed picture of the prospects for bolstering our initiatives against wildlife-related crimes as well as the obstacles we face today. He said that one of the report’s primary conclusions is the necessity of better law enforcement capabilities, increased cooperation amongst national agencies, and more robust legal frameworks in response. He called on all parties involved—the stakeholders and private sectors, as well as government agencies, foreign allies, and Civil Society organizations—to unite and reaffirm our shared commitment to fighting wildlife crime.
Speaking, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Nigeria Country Office, Danilo Campisi, stated that the World Wildlife Crime Report 2024 serves as a reminder of the harms caused by wildlife crime, which include a variety of interconnected negative effects on the environment, society, economy, and governance. These effects are evident in the continued exploitation of Nigeria’s rich biodiversity. The ICCWC Vision 2030 and the Strategic Action Plans that go along with it show how committed the Consortium is to collaborating closely with nations to fortify responses and fight wildlife crime through teamwork and coordination.
Gaps in law enforcement and application were reviewed.
Under the general direction of the Federal Ministry of Environment, UNODC conducted the ICCWC Analytical Toolkit for Nigeria, which looks at the institutional strengths of specialized law enforcement, prosecution, and the judiciary, as well as the efficacy of the legal and regulatory environment in preventing, detecting, investigating, prosecuting, and adjudicating wildlife and Forest crimes. Important components to be considered for the successful execution of Nigeria’s 2022–2026 National Strategy to Combat Wildlife and Forest Crime are provided by this report.
Moreover, the Nigerian ICCWC Toolkit Assessment Report highlights a number of important conclusions and suggestions related to the nation’s ability to combat wildlife crime. Although Nigeria has applicable Legislation in place, the assessment shows that there are still gaps in their enforcement and application, calling for modifications and revisions. It highlights the need for targeted approaches in these areas and better resource allocation to successfully combat wildlife Smuggling by identifying particular regions in Nigeria that are known to have an elevated rate of wildlife trafficking. The report highlights a deficiency in cooperation across many government departments and suggests more robust coordination mechanisms to optimize efforts towards combating the unlawful acts.
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It further emphasizes how crucial it is to involve local communities in conservation initiatives and spread knowledge about the importance of biodiversity. an appeal for better methods to collect data to track trends in wildlife crime and the efficiency of anti-poaching efforts. One of the recommendations is to counter cross-border wildlife trafficking by fortifying cooperation with international organizations and neighboring countries. These factors highlight the pressing need for a comprehensive strategy to tackle wildlife crime in Nigeria, utilizing domestic and global backing to augment conservation endeavors.