Progress Report on Nigeria National Ivory Action Plan
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PROGRESS REPORT ON NIGERIA NATIONAL IVORY ACTION PLAN PREPARED By FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT (DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY) SUBMITTED TO THE CITES SECRETARIAT December, 2018 ACRONYMS ETIS: Elephant Trade Information System FDF: Federal Department of Forestry FMENV: Federal Ministry of Environment IFAW: International Fund for Animal welfare INTERPOL: International criminal Police Organization MIKE: Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephant NCF: Nigerian Conservation Foundation NPS: National Park Services NIAPs: National Ivory Action Plans NESREA: National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency NAQS: Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services NCS: Nigeria Custom Service NCB; National Center bureau UNESCO: United Nation Educational scientific and Cultural Organization WCS: wildlife Conservation Society SYNOPSIS OF NIAP IMPLEMENTATION Nigeria was included as one of the eleven countries identified as countries of “Secondary Concern” by the CITES Standing Committee at 65th Meeting (SC65, Geneva, July, 2004). Various evidences show that the country is identified as transit route for illegal trafficking of wildlife products including elephant ivory. Illegal trade and trafficking in wildlife is one of the challenges that is negatively affecting wildlife resources particularly those species that have very high market value example; is elephant which is mainly harvested for its ivories. As you are aware, wildlife crime is a trans-national issue so that one country cannot control it alone, especially when a country is being used as a transit. Cross border cooperation and collaboration among countries is pertinent to combat this ‘menace’ illegal wildlife and their products on trade and trafficking effectively. This was one of our NIAP pillars, hence Nigeria hosted in July, Combating Wildlife Trafficking Response in West Africa ‘ Developing a Coordinated Response to Wildlife Trafficking in West Africa’ Abuja Declaration July 2018, hosted in Nigeria supported by USAID and organized by WA BICC, that was submitted to SC70 and to be submitted for COP 18 Nigeria developed an acceptable NIAPs by the CITES Secretariat as an effort to eradicate illegal ivory trade in the Country. The priority action plan is organized in five section which include Legislation ad Regulations, , National Level Enforcement action and Inter-agency Collaboration, International and Regional Enforcement Collaboration, Outreach, Public Awareness and Education, Reporting. Total number of 26 key priority actions was developed and each of which involves several activities to be implemented within the milestones. It is important to note that efforts for the implementation of important activities have started even before its submission. This progress is documented in the current report The following progress have made towards NIAPs implementation in Nigeria: One of the important achievements made during the NIAP implementation period is on legislation, the review of Endangered National Wildlife Species Protection Act: The Endangered species (Control of International Trade and Traffic amended and signed into law, 30th December 2016. It has adequate provision to regulate international trade in wildlife crime nationally and it is supported by suitable subsidiary legislation and all other regulation with very stringent penalties. The staff of National Law Enforcement Agencies responsible for investigation of wildlife crime have been trained in the preparation of case file for court, Judicial procedures and giving of evidence in court, about 5 cases have be prosecuted, 4 cases on- going and 4 cases pending in court. Second achievement since the commencement of the NIAPs is the National cooperation among the inter-agency cooperation among National Law Enforcement Agencies to combat wildlife crime which are Custom, Nigeria Police, NESRERA, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) for Nigeria, NPS, FRIN, Immigration, a leading NGOs (Nigeria Conservation Foundation). Inter-Ministries/ Agencies cooperation towards the control of illegal trade in ivories and presentation of NIAP to potential stakeholders and ensure their participation in the agreed between agencies involved in NIAP implementation Awareness and sensitization has been created amongst alot of people in the country concerning illegal wildlife in Nigeria and the consequences of the trade and also the installation of electronic bill board at the International Airport and Sea port displaying prohibited wildlife specimen (Ivories) and penalties/ fines on any culprit arrested in illegal trafficking. Nigeria is a large country with over 150 million population, more awareness still need to be done. One of the best way is to integrate wildlife crime issue in education system especially law enforcement training Institute and academies. In this regards, Custom training College has be approached, Police training is being considered. University has been approached i.e University of Ibadan, University of Lagos. Some student in these Universities are presently working on CITES implementation in Nigeria List of priority elephant sites established eg Yankari Game Reserve, Cross-River and Okomu National parks, and improvement status and capacity building of patrol staff in key priority elephant sites. No carcass has been noticed especially where there is higher concentration of Elephants in Nigeria, Yankari Game Reserve, same reserve managed by Bauchi State Government and WSC, funded by MIKE. Ranger based Monitoring (SMART) are also implemented in the priority elephant sites. The communities around these sites are also working with the Game’s ranger to protect these elephants. Nevertheless, some issues are still pending which need to be done. Workshops/ training organize with the Ministry of justice, Interpol, Nigeria Quarantine Services, NESREA, Custom and NGOs e.g NCF to develop recommendations on wildlife law and how to apply the law and Implementation of the workshop’s recommendations (for example specialized prosecutors appointed in each of the Federal, State and Legislation training session organized for judiciary, police in different enforcement institutions and trained personnel on enforcement targeting on wildlife crime and the understanding of the fines. Inventory of stocks of ivory seized and updated the date the items were confiscated, sources of the ivory, comprehensive list of stocks of ivory held at NESREA and by other agencies and government service were documented. Printing of flyers and distribution to the passengers, airlines, Customs and other relevant stakeholders Provision of equipment for identification of ivory and wildlife specimen (IVORY KITS) in Nigeria borders which include Chad Border, Republic of Benin border, Cameroon border and Niger border and staff trained on the use of the equipment for effective identification of wildlife specimen to increase levels of detection of illegal/ wildlife specimen, distribution of finger-marks evidence for ivory courtesy of IFAW Guidance on Strategic Areas on Intervention and Priority Recommendation to Develop A counter Wildlife Trafficking Response in West Africa ‘Developing a Coordinated Response to Wildlife Trafficking in West Africa’ Abuja Declaration July 2018, hosted in Nigeeria. This was submitted by Nigeria and Senegal which will also be submitted in COP18. The document was made possible by the support of the American people through the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) and coordinated by WA BiCC Involvement of local communities in law enforcement activities through local intelligence gathering in key elephant sites Training of rangers to implement SMART at Yankari Game Reserve and Cross-River National Park. Another important achievement made during the NIAP implementation period is associated with wildlife laws enforcement, this is also crucial. If wildlife criminals are tracked, apprehended and prosecuted with appropriates fines/ penalties, it will have a great deterring effect to others and also it can be educative to the criminal as well. From 2011 to 2018, 22 abandoned, 15 prosecuted, 3 pending, 3 on-going. Based on our self assessment of the NIAP implementation, out of the 26 priority actions developed, 16 achieved, eight substantially achieved, 1 on- track and 1 partial progress SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS REPORT The NIAP has a total of 26 key/priority actions and more than 60 activities/ milestone that need to be performed according to the schedule indicated in the same plan in order to achieve each key action within the NIAP implementation period. The following table presents the implementation progress of NIAP actions based on our self assessment. Part C provides detail information on it. Pillar PROGRESS RATING Achieved Substantially On track Partial progress Pending Not commence achieved completion of another action A. Legislation and A1/A2. The Review of A5. Review regulations review of National Park National Wildlife Endangered Service Legislation and Species Act was Act.Cap.L65. compare penalties signed by the frameworks with President of the neighboring Federal Republic countries of Nigeria on the 30th December, 2016. The Act contains very stringent penalties for illegal activities/trade in Wild (Fauna & Fauna) National Environmental (Protection of Endangered Species) in International Trade regulations 2011, S.I No. 16 A3. Strengthen different wildlife legislation in Federal and States for harmonization A4. Prepare summary of existing legislation and penalties for dissemination to the judiciary National