The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has provided the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) with new equipment for monitoring wildlife and enforcing regulations. While receiving the equipment in Abuja, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, the Director-General of NESREA, emphasized the importance of using the equipment to prevent wildlife crime in the country. Jauro thanked the development partner for their generous Donation and highlighted the need to stay vigilant against traffickers who are increasingly using advanced techniques to smuggle wildlife.
Enhancing wildlife monitoring through the use of real-time equipment is crucial for improving investigation, intelligence gathering, enforcement, evidence collection, data generation, data management, and transmission. The head of NESREA said Nigeria is committed to eradicating wildlife crimes by implementing necessary measures. The deliberate destruction of confiscated wildlife stockpiles aims to deter individuals involved in such criminal activities. The intention was also to convey a strong message that the nation would not stand for any illegal activities involving wildlife within its borders.
Regional and local offices of NASERA will receive the devices.
Jauro mentioned that stringent measures had been implemented at Nigerian border checkpoints to disrupt the efforts of individuals trying to use the country as a stopover for illegal trafficking of protected wildlife and their products. The devices will be distributed to the organization’s regional and local offices, specifically targeting areas known for high levels of trafficking activities. On his part, Dr. Oliver Stolpe, the UNODC Country Representative, praised the Nigerian Government for its successful efforts in combating wildlife crime within the country.
He assured that NESREA, in its role as the enforcer, will be fully supported in fulfilling its responsibilities. Folusho Adelekan, who represented Stolpe, the Lead for Wildlife and Forest Crime at UNODC, pointed out the organization’s dedication to assisting Nigeria in fighting wildlife crimes and pledged enhanced cooperation with NESREA to eliminate wildlife crime in the country. NESREA has received a variety of different equipment donations, such as GPS trackers, digital binoculars, laptops, weighing scales, and walkie-talkies. Also, there are items like footwear, magnifiers, calipers, and digital camera binoculars among others.
Key government agencies collaborated in the UNODC project.
With backing from the Government of Germany, the UNODC is aiding Nigeria in addressing the increasing problem of wildlife crime. This aid is being provided through the Project Strengthening Nigeria’s Response to the Trafficking of Wildlife and Forest Products Phase II. The project is in collaboration with key government agencies such as the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Nigeria Customs Service, and the NESREA, as well as partnering with different Law Enforcement Agencies and Civil Society organizations.
During the initial phase, a significant achievement was the development of Nigeria’s first National Strategy for addressing wildlife and forest crime. Feedback from Phase I highlighted the necessity of enhancing collaboration at regional and inter-regional levels due to the widespread cross-border nature of wildlife trafficking in Nigeria. Also, the importance of increasing collaboration among different agencies was underscored, in order to better enforce the National Strategy to Combat Wildlife and Forest Crime in Nigeria from 2022 to 2026 and make efficient use of resources.
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In addition, there is a clear indication of the necessity to enhance the capabilities of important wildlife law enforcement agencies at the forefront, such as the NESREA. Despite being acknowledged as a CITES enforcement authority, NESREA currently faces constraints in terms of its law enforcement capacity and training. The Phase II of the project aims to assist in executing the strategy and embracing a transnational approach to combating wildlife crime in Nigeria, enhancing Nigeria’s ability to carry out cross-border investigations and legal actions against wildlife traffickers.