Nigeria is losing about 300 hectares of forest daily, while more than 4,000 illegal miners have been displaced from Gashaka-Gumti National Park following security operations, the National Park Service (NPS) has disclosed.
The Conservator-General of the service, Ibrahim Goni, raised the concerns in Abuja while receiving members of the Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN), warning that deforestation, illegal mining, logging, wildlife trafficking and insecurity were threatening conservation efforts across the country.
Goni said the continued destruction of forests could worsen desertification and accelerate environmental degradation, stressing the need for urgent and sustained intervention to protect the country’s forest resources.
He disclosed that the NPS, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, had shut down two illegal mining sites in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which straddles Taraba and Adamawa states.
According to him, the operation led to the closure of extensive mining pits and the displacement of more than 4,000 illegal miners from the protected area.
However, the Conservator-General said security operations alone would not permanently address illegal mining, noting that affected communities needed alternative sources of livelihood to reduce their dependence on activities that damage protected areas.
He also expressed concern over illegal mining in Oyo State, saying the service was working with the Ministry of Solid Minerals to tackle the problem.
In Rivers State, Goni disclosed that about 17 miners had been arrested as part of ongoing enforcement efforts.
He explained that illegal activities in forests around national parks often complicated security operations, as individuals driven out of protected areas could relocate to neighbouring forests and continue their activities.
Goni, therefore, called for sustained collaboration among security agencies and relevant government institutions to ensure effective protection of forests and national parks.
He commended the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security operatives for their contributions to safeguarding vulnerable conservation areas.
On wildlife trafficking, the NPS chief said Nigeria was frequently implicated in international smuggling networks because traffickers used the country as a transit route for wildlife specimens destined for overseas markets.
He said wildlife products were transported from neighbouring countries, including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, through Nigeria before being shipped to other destinations, particularly through the country’s seaports.
To strengthen enforcement, Goni disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service, NPS, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigeria Police Force had established an inter-agency committee to combat wildlife trafficking.
He said the committee had conducted raids that resulted in the seizure of live animals, carcasses and other wildlife specimens.
The Conservator-General urged environmental journalists to work closely with law enforcement agencies to expose trafficking networks, raise public awareness and promote accountability in wildlife conservation.
Goni also highlighted the expansion of Nigeria’s national park system as part of efforts to restore degraded vegetation, conserve wildlife and strengthen the country’s response to climate change.
He said Nigeria now had 17 national parks, although only 13 were operational, compared with seven before the establishment of 10 additional parks under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the expansion was aimed at encouraging vegetation regeneration in areas previously designated as forest or game reserves while advancing the country’s environmental and climate objectives.
He called on journalists to give greater attention to environmental challenges, including deforestation, illegal hunting, pollution, flooding and erosion, noting that consistent reporting could stimulate public engagement and prompt government action.
The NPS chief further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Environment had deployed flood-warning equipment in some parts of the country to alert communities to impending floods and enable residents of vulnerable areas to move to safer locations.
He also urged journalists to educate the public on Ebola prevention and the links between wildlife and the transmission of certain infectious diseases.
Goni pledged that the service would support professional training and conference participation for environmental correspondents, subject to available budgetary provisions.