Nigeria Unveils Sculpture from Destroyed Trafficked Ivory, Tusks

Nigeria Unveils Sculpture from Destroyed Trafficked Ivory, Tusks

The Federal Government has unveiled the sculpture of an elephant crafted from pulverized wildlife stockpile, signaling a climax of the disposal of about six tons of confiscated wildlife stockpiles by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

NESREA is the agency designated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to enforce international law on the endangered species.

The sculpture, a first of its kind in Nigeria, represents the country’s zero-tolerance stance against wildlife trafficking and its dedication to protecting listed endangered species of wild fauna and flora.

The event on Wednesday marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade, which has been a major threat to the country’s biodiversity and global conservation efforts.

Concerted efforts by NESREA and sister agencies such as the Nigerian Customs Service led to the arrest of several suspects between 2011 and 2023. 185 bags of pangolin scales weighing 3991 kilogrammes, 11 bags of crocodiles and other listed reptiles, leopard skins and feathers weighing 102 kilogrammes, and 2500 kilogrammes of ivory were recovered from these suspects and kept in the custody of NESREA.

In October 2023, the seized pangolin scales and other animal skins were incinerated by NESREA, followed by the crushing of the confiscated ivory in January 2024. Both exercises were carried out with the support of the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation (EPIF) of the United Kingdom and the United States Embassy in Nigeria.

Unveiling the statue crafted from the residue of pulverized confiscated stockpiles, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, officially christened it the ‘Giwa Statue of Renewed Hope’. He reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of President Bola Tinubu to eradicate wildlife trafficking in Nigeria.

He called on Nigerians to support the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking by providing intelligence, discouraging animal poaching, and refusing to use products that are not ethically sourced, stressing that “we need wildlife for our survival, well-being, and prosperity as they maintain ecological balance, maintain the food chain, and keep us connected to nature.”

Director General of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor, said, “This elephant sculpture symbolizes Nigeria’s commitment to zero tolerance to Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) at all levels, and a proof to CITES communities that Nigeria has not relented in carrying out its obligations to the international environmental conventions and promotion of eco-tourism.”

NESREA is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Environment charged with the mandate to enforce all environmental laws, policies, guidelines, standards, and regulations as well as to enforce compliance with the provisions of multilateral environmental agreements, protocols, conventions, and treaties to which Nigeria is a sign