Nigeria Still Used as a Wildlife Trafficking Route, NPS Director Warns

Nigeria is losing nearly 300 hectares of forest reserves each day and is increasingly serving as a transit route for wildlife traffickers, National Park Service (NPS) Conservator-General Goni warned. Wildlife specimens from countries including Chad, Niger and Cameroon are moved through Nigeria to seaports. The NPS, Customs Service, NESREA and police have formed an inter-agency committee that has conducted raids and seized live animals, carcasses and other specimens. Goni also cited illegal logging and hunting as major threats and urged the media to promote conservation, awareness of environmental risks and Ebola prevention.