Nigeria’s Forests Under Threat As 4,000 Illegal Miners Are Evicted From National Park

Nigeria is losing about 300 hectares of forest daily. At the same time, more than 4,000 illegal miners have been forced out of Gashaka-Gumti National Park following security operations, the National Park Service (NPS) has said.

The Conservator-General of the service, Ibrahim Goni, disclosed this in Abuja while receiving members of the Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN), warning that illegal mining, logging, wildlife trafficking and insecurity were undermining conservation efforts across the country.

Goni said the scale of forest destruction required urgent attention, noting that the continued depletion of forest reserves could worsen desertification and accelerate environmental degradation.

He disclosed that the service, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, had shut down two illegal mining sites within Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which straddles Taraba and Adamawa states.

The operation led to the closure of extensive mining pits and the displacement of more than 4,000 illegal miners from the protected area.

However, the Conservator-General stressed that security operations alone would not eliminate illegal mining, arguing that affected communities needed alternative livelihoods to reduce their dependence on activities that degrade protected areas.

He also raised concerns about illegal mining in Oyo State, disclosing that the service was working with the Ministry of Solid Minerals to tackle the problem. In Rivers State, he said, about 17 miners had been arrested as part of ongoing enforcement efforts.

Goni explained that criminal activities in forests surrounding national parks often undermined security operations, as individuals driven out of protected areas could relocate to neighbouring forests and continue their activities.

He called for sustained cooperation among security agencies and relevant government institutions to address the problem, while commending the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security operatives for their contributions to the protection of vulnerable areas.

On wildlife trafficking, Goni said Nigeria was frequently implicated in international smuggling networks because the country was used as a transit corridor for wildlife specimens destined for overseas markets.

According to him, traffickers move wildlife products from neighbouring countries, including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, through Nigeria before transporting them to other destinations, particularly through seaports.

To strengthen enforcement, he disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service, NPS, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigeria Police Force had established an inter-agency committee to combat the illegal trade.

He said the committee had carried out raids that resulted in the seizure of live animals, carcasses and other wildlife specimens.

The Conservator-General urged environmental journalists to work closely with law enforcement agencies to expose trafficking networks, increase public awareness and promote accountability in the protection of endangered species.

Goni also highlighted the expansion of Nigeria’s national park system as part of efforts to restore degraded vegetation, conserve wildlife and support the country’s response to climate change.

He said Nigeria now had 17 national parks, although only 13 were operational, compared with seven before the establishment of 10 additional parks under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, the expansion was designed to promote vegetation regeneration in areas previously designated as forest or game reserves while advancing the country’s environmental and climate objectives.

The NPS chief urged journalists to pay greater attention to environmental challenges, including deforestation, illegal hunting, pollution, flooding and erosion, stressing that consistent reporting could stimulate public engagement and prompt government action.

He further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Environment had deployed flood-warning equipment in some parts of the country to alert communities to impending floods and enable residents of vulnerable areas to relocate to safer locations.

Goni also urged journalists to educate the public on Ebola prevention and the links between wildlife and the transmission of certain infectious diseases.

He pledged that the service would support professional training and conference participation for environmental correspondents, subject to available budgetary provisions.

Earlier, EMCAN Chairman, Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah, called for stronger partnerships between the association and environmental agencies to improve access to information and strengthen reporting on environmental issues.

Adah said the association had more than 35 members but lamented that only three or four media organisations regularly covered the National Park Service’s activities.

She noted that inadequate media coverage limited public understanding of the agency’s responsibilities, conservation programmes and the challenges confronting protected areas.

The chairman, whose association elected new leadership about two months ago, said improving engagement with environmental institutions was a priority for the current executive.

She explained that stronger communication between the service and journalists would help Nigerians better appreciate the importance of national parks in protecting forests, preserving wildlife and safeguarding the country’s natural heritage.

The meeting ended with both parties pledging to strengthen their partnership to improve environmental reporting, raise awareness of conservation challenges and promote the protection of Nigeria’s natural resources.