BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The National Park Service (NPS) has shared a vivid account of how the Service dislodged 4000 illegal miners and shut down extensive mining pits in Taraba and Adamawa states.
This followed a sting operation between the Service and Nigerian Army, leading to the closure of two illegal mining sites in Gashaka-Gumti National Park.
Conservator-General of NPS, Dr Ibrahim Goni stated this when members of the Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) paid a courtesy visit to the service’s headquarters in Abuja.
Goni praised the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies for their efforts in tackling insecurity and protecting vulnerable areas, saying that illegal mining operations disrupt conservation.
He warned that removing illegal miners from protected areas could generate resistance, highlighting the need for government interventions that provide alternative livelihoods for affected communities.
The CG raised concerns over mining activities in Oyo State, adding that the service is working with the Ministry of Solid Minerals to address the situation.
He cited the arrest of about 17 miners in Rivers State as part of efforts to curb illegal mining, saying that effective enforcement must be accompanied by inter-agency cooperation and practical measures to address the economic factors driving illegal exploitation of natural resources.
On wildlife trafficking, Goni explained that Nigeria is frequently identified in trafficking networks as smugglers use the country as a transit route to seaports.
He said that traffickers move wildlife specimens from neighbouring countries, including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, through Nigeria for onward transportation.
To address the problem, he pointed out that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), NPS, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had formed an inter-agency committee to combat illegal wildlife trafficking.
The Conservator General noted that the committee had carried out raids leading to the seizure of live animals, carcasses and other wildlife specimens.
He emphasised that sustained collaboration among law enforcement agencies and the media is necessary to expose trafficking networks and improve accountability
The EMCAN Chairman, Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah said that illegal mining limited the visibility of the service’s activities, underscoring the need for a more inclusive media engagement strategy.
Adah said that the association is ready to partner with the service to publicise its conservation initiatives and enlighten Nigerians on factors militating against the effective management of the country’s national parks and protecting wildlife.
She observed that many Nigerians were not sufficiently aware of the mandate of the NPS, saying that improved media coverage would help address the knowledge gap and highlight the agency’s contributions to environmental protection.
The meeting ended with resolutions by the NPS and EMCAN to enhance mutual cooperation.
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