By Grace Samuel
In a significant effort to combat wildlife trafficking in Nigeria, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has donated wildlife monitoring and enforcement equipment to support the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
This donation aims to strengthen NESREA’s capacity to combat the illegal trade of wildlife, aligning with global efforts to address wildlife trafficking and preserve Nigeria’s diverse wildlife.
The equipment provided includes GPS trackers, digital binoculars, video cameras, computers, scales, walkie-talkies, shoes, magnifying lenses, camera binoculars, and calipers.
Upon receiving the equipment, Prof Aliyu Jauro, the Director General of NESREA, emphasized the importance of having real-time equipment to counter the sophisticated tactics employed by wildlife traffickers.
He highlighted the significance of these tools in enhancing wildlife monitoring, investigation, intelligence gathering, enforcement, evidence collection, data generation, and management.
Jauro reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to combatting wildlife crimes through proactive measures, citing the recent disposal of confiscated wildlife stockpiles as a deterrent to offenders and a signal of the country’s zero-tolerance stance towards wildlife crimes.