Ending Wildlife Poaching, Smuggling In Nigeria
-
Loading... - Amanda Dennis
- 24 Mar 2023
- 74 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Nigeria has remained a transit point for smuggling and illegal poaching of endangered species and wildlife in Africa. YUSUF BABALOLA writes on how Nigeria Customs and international agencies are stopping illegal wildlife trade in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, the conservation of wildlife has been a herculean task because they are seen as bush meat while foreigners, especially the Asians, see them as cash cow and recipe for traditional medicines that cure certain ailments.
Also, the increased demand for trophies and traditional medicines have made poachers slaughter some of Africa’s most endangered species at unprecedented rates. The wildlife include Pangolins, Elephants, Rhinos among others.
Experts have, however, warned that these animals could go the way of Asia’s wild tiger population, which has dwindled from around 100,000 to a few thousand over the past century.
For instance, in February, 2022, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), seized 839.40 kilograms of pangolin scales and 145 kilograms of elephant ivory leading to arrests and seizure of the contraband.
Also, in same week, acting on local intelligence, the Vietnamese Customs seized 6.2 tonnes of pangolin scales and 456 kilograms of elephant ivory, a shipment from Lagos, in Da Nang.
However, to end continued poaching of wildlife and smuggling of endangered species through Nigeria, a foundation, Wild Africa Fund, called for sufficient enforcement, saying Nigeria need to intensify effort towards ensuring that the other West African countries stop using the country as the transit route for ivory and pangolin scales.
Speaking, the the founder and President of Wild Africa Fund, Peter Knights, said the target was to overcome the challenges and make the Nigerian environment conducive for wildlife, saying Nigeria has become the epicentre of illegal wildlife trafficking in Africa.
He said, “Specifically, we are very interested in Nigeria because it has become, as you know, the epicentre of illegal wildlife trafficking in Africa with the ivory and pangolins. The seizures that Customs have made have been some of the biggest seizures ever in Africa. Read More…
