House Of Reps Fixes Date For Public Hearing On Nigeria’s Wildlife Protection Bill

The House of Representatives has scheduled October 24 for a public hearing of Nigeria’s Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2024.

The Bill championed by the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Terseer Ugbor, is aimed at addressing wildlife trafficking, habitat destruction and proposes strict penalties for offenders in Nigeria.

The Bill, if passed into law, will tackle pressing challenges including illegal wildlife trade, conservation of species, and the decline of Nigeria’s precious wildlife and their habitats.

According to Ugbor, the Bill seeks to improve the capabilities of law enforcement agencies, give investigators more powers to look into financial matters and conduct operations guided by intelligence, and enable judges to speed up wildlife cases and recover assets.

He added that the Bill aligns with international treaties, encourages global cooperation and introduces stricter penalties for poachers and traffickers.

“Protecting our wildlife means protecting livelihoods and ensuring a balanced ecosystem and we can’t allow wildlife trafficking continue to threaten our natural heritage.

“This hearing will provide a platform for everybody to voice their opinions on this vital issue. We urge everyone to participate in this vital conversation,” the lawmaker said in a statement issued on Monday.

He noted that the public hearing will be held jointly by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements and its Committee on the Environment.

According to him, the Bill has garnered significant support from local and international organisations including Africa Nature Investors Foundation (ANI), the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency UK (EIA), and the Wild Africa (WA).

He said the organisations have been actively supporting the Nigerian government’s efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, with support from the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the UK Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund and the Pangolin Crisis Fund.

International conventions on endangered species, organised crime and corruption, to which Nigeria is a signatory member, include the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).