The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has seized endangered birds from alleged illegal wildlife traders in Abuja.
Prof. Aliyu Jauro, Director-General, NESREA while briefing newsmen on the enforcement action carried out against illegal wildlife traders in Abuja, said the agency would continue to apprehend the illegal traders as Nigeria was a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Jauro said the essence of the enforcement was not only to protect animal species, particularly those that were endangered to prevent them from going extinct but to promote environmental protection in the Country. The agency warned against illegal wildlife trade in the Country.
According to Jauro, NESREA being the designated CITES enforcement authority in Nigeria, is mandated to enforce all environmental laws, guidelines, policies standards and regulations.
“The agency is also to enforce compliance with provisions of international agreements, protocols conventions and treaties to which Nigeria is signatory.
“So, the agency is warning those who engage in this ugly act to desist because we will continue to go after them and ensure that we apprehend them.
“It is dangerous living with some of these animals as pets because a lot of diseases today are attributed to it.
“It is also wrong keeping wild animals at home, they are supposed to remain in the wild, meanwhile, trafficking in wildlife will give Nigeria a bad name in the global community,’’ he said.
Jauro also said that Nigeria was found to be a transit hub used by the traffickers, noting that some of the wildlife did not originate from Nigeria.
“If the enforcement against the illegal trade is not carried out, it may lead to selling to people who may want to take them overseas without permit which is contrary to the convention on CITES.
“The act can also as well, cause embarrassment to Nigeria among the CITES communities,” he said
