House Proposes Stiffer Penalties To Curb Forest Crimes 

As part of efforts to combat wildlife and forest crimes in the country, the House of Representatives is proposing a law that will provide stiffer penalties for wildlife traffickers in Nigeria.

The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Mr Terser Ugbor, disclosed this in Abuja at a one day Policy Dialogue on the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2024.

Mr Ugbor said that addressing the issue of wildlife trafficking requires a multifaceted approach, stricter enforcement, community engagement, and international cooperation which would play a crucial role in combating it.

Mr Terser Ugbor added that the situation has emerged with unenviable status as a global hub for wildlife trafficking in recent years, hence the need to act swiftly in reversing its negative status.

In a remark, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Oliver Stolpe who called for further review of the nation’s legislation to protect wildlife and the forest, noted that the current legal framework is deficient as the penalties in the laws do not accord necessary sanctions.

He suggested a 10-year jail term for perpetrators of Wildlife and Forest Crimes as a way of addressing the menace of illegal trafficking of wildlife.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal who was represented by the Deputy Director, Department of Forestry Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr Razaq Adekola said outdated laws and legislation remain one of the challenges confronting sustainable forest and biodiversity conservation in the country.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji