Abuja, March 2024: Over the past decade, Nigeria has experienced a significant surge in illegal wildlife trade, as reconfirmed by UNODC’s recent report on Organized Crime in Nigeria: A Threat Assessment by data from UNODC. The report found the involvement of Nigeria being a country of origin or transit for the trafficking of several wildlife specimens, such as pangolin scales, elephant ivory and rosewood. Seizures made by the Nigeria Customs Service recently and over the past couple of years, buttress these findings. Illegal wildlife trade poses a severe threat to Nigeria's already vulnerable species and its rich biodiversity and ecosystem.
Since 2020, UNODC has been implementing several technical assistance interventions for member states. These interventions aim to strengthen Nigeria’s response to wildlife and forest crime, such as through the development and implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Wildlife and Forest Crime in Nigeria 2022-2026, launched in April 2022, the development of the “Wildlife Crime in Nigeria: Points to Prove for Investigators and Prosecutors” which was launched at the 2023 World Wildlife Day, as well as several capacity building training and initiatives for frontline wildlife enforcement agencies.
The theme for this year’s World Wildlife Day: “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation”, focuses on raising awareness about the latest applications of digital technologies in wildlife conservation and trade and about the impact of digital interventions on ecosystems and communities around the world. With the increasing threat of poaching, habitat destruction, and illegal wildlife trade, it has become imperative to utilize digital tools to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of conservation initiatives. Further, the rapid advancements in technology, digital innovation has emerged as a powerful tool and can be used in the fight against wildlife crime and the preservation of Nigeria's unique ecosystems.
This year’s theme is particularly relevant for Nigeria as it grapples with issues of low public awareness and appreciation of its flora and fauna. Recently reported cases of the killing of an elephant and a hippopotamus calf with the involvement of local authorities, communities as well as federal law enforcement and security agencies a a stark reminder of how great a need there is to connect Nigerians with their planet. The use of digital innovation can be particularly significant in scaling up wildlife protection awareness and sensitization efforts.
As part of efforts to draw awareness to wildlife crime issues and the importance of preserving and protecting Nigeria’s biodiversity from over exploitation, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, joined the Government of Nigeria to commemorate the 2024 World Wildlife Day. The event also presented an opportunity for the presentation of the key findings and recommendations of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) Toolkit Assessment Report for Nigeria.
The toolkit facilitates a comprehensive analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of preventive and criminal justice responses and other measures related to the protection and monitoring of wildlife and forest products which are crucial to curtailing wildlife and forest crime both nationally and internationally.
Some of the key recommendations from the report include improved law enforcement inter-agency collaboration, accelerated passage of the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2022, creation of a dedicated wildlife crime unit within the Directorate of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, development of sentencing guidelines to ensure sentencing transparency and proportionality, capacity building initiatives for investigators and prosecutors as well as the provision of critical operational equipment.
The event was presided over by the Honourable Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who stated that “as we commemorate World Wildlife Day, we must recognize the critical importance of leveraging digital solutions to address the myriad of challenges facing our planet’s ecosystem notably combatting illegal wildlife trade, mitigating habitat loss, tackling the impacts of climate change among others”.
UNODC Country Representative in his remarks, highlighted the country office’s support for the development and launch of a communications strategy to strengthen the appreciation of Nigerians for the marvelous diversity of Nigerian flora and fauna.
UNODC is currently undertaking a digital campaign across social media platforms with the tag #BeWildforNature, specifically targeting young people, encouraging them to leverage their creativity and explore digital innovation in creating awareness about the dangers of wildlife going into extinction. The campaign is open for entries until 17 March 2024. More information about the campaign can be found on UNODC Nigeria’s website and social media channels.