In celebrating the 2019 World Wildlife Day, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has restated its commitment to addressing the worrisome global wildlife trafficking, especially as it concerns Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson in the Nigeria Country Office, Sylvester Atere, the UN body fears that Nigeria risks evolving rapidly into a transit hub for illicit wildlife products, including pangolins, elephant tusks and other protected species, destined for countries in Asia as well as Europe, the Middle East and North and South America.
The World Wildlife Day is celebrated yearly on March 3, with the theme “Life below water: for people and planet”. It is a day dedicated by the international community to raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants, as well as review actions as individuals, communities and governments to protect the planet’s wildlife and to collectively find solutions to inherent challenges.
According to the UN body, tackling the phenomenon is complex and requires the cooperation of multiple stakeholders within and beyond Nigeria, including Customs, Police and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESRA), as well as the World Customs Organisation, Interpol and the CITES secretariat.
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