In recent years, Nigeria has become a prominent center for the illegal trade of wildlife and remains a key player in this illicit activity. The Deputy chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Hon. Terseer Ugbor, who mentioned this strongly condemned the unlawful activities of poachers and smugglers in Nigeria, emphasizing their detrimental impact on the economy. He urged for immediate intervention to combat these illicit practices, adding that they pose a serious threat to the nation’s economic well-being. Ugbor highlighted the perilous risks to biodiversity posed by these individuals he labeled as wildlife criminals.
During a policy dialogue on the ‘Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2024’, Ugbor emphasized how wildlife crimes contribute to corruption, insecurity, and the transmission of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19. He noted that urgent action is needed to combat these threats and preserve the beauty of our nation and the global community. This legislation’s approval will signify a significant achievement in the realm of worldwide conservation initiatives and Nigeria’s reputation on the global stage. Furthermore, it will propel forward the legislative priorities of the 10th House of Representatives aimed at ensuring Nigeria’s environmental sustainability.
Engaging in policy dialogue is crucial to align stakeholders’ views.
He explained that the proposed law was designed to combat the endangerment of biodiversity both in Nigeria and throughout Africa. It would establish a unified and robust legal structure to combat the illegal trade of wildlife. The recommendations included in the law were the result of a thorough and cooperative examination of existing Nigerian legislation pertaining to wildlife smuggling. Emphasizing the significance of dialogue, the legislator underscored the necessity for robust and all-encompassing endangered species laws to protect Nigeria’s biodiversity.
Nigeria has committed to upholding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which requires us to enhance our laws for protecting biodiversity. This proposed bill aims to fulfill those commitments. While not legally mandated, engaging in policy dialogue is crucial to align stakeholders’ views on the bill and pave the path for its swift approval and implementation as a law. Ugbor praised the contributions of the Environmental Investigation Agency, Africa Nature Investors Foundation, and Wild Africa Fund towards the bill.
Review of the Endangered Species marks a significant step forward.
Ugbor also expressed gratitude for the support received from a variety of organizations, including the UK Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, the US State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and the Pangolin Conservation Fund. Oliver Stolpe, who serves as the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has urged Nigeria to reconsider its laws in order to impose harsher punishments on individuals engaged in illegal trafficking of endangered species. He said the existing legal system falls short of meeting the criteria outlined in the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime for defining serious crimes.
Until the Bill is adopted, Nigerian law enforcement agencies would be unable to effectively implement the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crimes (UNTOC) and collaborate with law enforcement in other countries. Stolpe said the inadequacies in Nigeria’s legal system are evident in the lenient sentences that wildlife crime offenders have received in recent years. Therefore, gathering at this policy dialogue to review the Endangered Species marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against wildlife and forest crime, he added.
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Stolpe mentioned that the provision of the Bill aligns with the UNODC’s Guide on Legislating to Fight Wildlife Crime. Following this evaluation, the penalty has been increased to a maximum of 10 years, in accordance with the severity of the offense. He further suggested that the National Assembly reconsider the method used to determine criminal responsibility for attempting to violate the Bill’s provisions, in order to create a thorough and uniform approach to assigning liability. Also, he recommended incorporating clauses in the legislation that would enable Nigerian agencies to work together with international partners and other countries to effectively combat the trafficking of endangered species.
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