NESREA, Interpol to tackle environmental crimes

The Commissioner of Police in charge of Interpol, Olusola Kamer Subair affirmed the readiness of his organization to partner with NESREA to tackle all forms of Environmental Crimes and especially to stop the country from being used as trans-shipment route by unscrupulous persons.
He stated this during a courtesy call to National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in Abuja.
Subair disclosed that it was worrisome to receive increasing cases of scale shipment of endangered species such as pangolin, elephant tusk being traced back to Nigeria after they have been smuggled out although Nigeria is not their originating point and the trend has started again, if we are not careful, these organized criminals will put Nigeria in trouble again.
“It would be recalled that Nigeria was only recently recalled back to the Convention for International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES), having successfully plugged previous leakages.
He noted that to foster smooth relationship NESREA and Interpol should work together via exchange of information; improved Data bases and any other available record sharing including capacity building, seminar and workshops and these are the necessary ingredients that can assist in tracking all forms of environmental crimes including those that have to do with waste, cyber, fisheries and electronics.
Responding, the Director-General of NESREA, Dr. Lawrence Anukam expressed his appreciation for the visit and thanked the Interpol boss for finding time to do so.
Anukam said he was delighted at the prospects of developing a fruitful working relationship with Interpol although an enduring relationship already exists with the Nigeria Police.
He explained to the Interpol boss that an Environmental Training Manual was already in place to educate and inform the police about ways to tackle environmental crimes.
“The agency had organized a workshop for senior members of the Nigeria Police Force, one of which had taken place in Kaduna and the other in the Federal Capita, he added.
“The need for adequate awareness and sensitization to educate Nigerians properly on the need to be watchful, and be acquainted with what constitutes environmental crimes,” he stressed.
“He said the absence of a holding facility was not the best and this is one of the difficulties including not physically being present at the scene of crime especially the entry points.

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