FG declares commitment to recover forest from bandits, kidnappers

By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

The Federal Government has again declared its commitment to recover forest across the Country from miscreants, bandits, kidnappers, and other unknown gunmen to halt criminal activities.

The Federal Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, made the commitment during the ongoing top management retreat, held in Kaduna from Thursday 11th- Friday 12th January, 2024.

Declaring the 2-day retreat open on the theme: “Policy Embodiment and Prioritization of Key Action for a Renewed Hope in Environmental Management,” Balarabe disclosed that the Ministry has serious issues with the forest.

He lamented that it had become a den of bandits, mulchers and kidnappers.

He noted that the only way to save the forest and also save the communities around it is to do something very drastic.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that the Ministry is doing her best to get enough force into the forest to clean those miscreants for the good of all.

Balarabe also expressed dismay over the rate at which deforestation had become the order of the day in most of the Nigerian states, reiterating that its negative impacts on the society is overwhelming and as such must be discouraged at all costs.

Also, speaking on the killings of wild animals, particularly the killings of two elephants in Maiduguri, Borno state last year, the Minister said it was an international outcry and they are doing everything possible to manage the situation.

“There is the need to develop strategies and devise comprehensive and multi-faceted approaches towards developing and increasing the promotion of Sustainable Forest Management practices nationwide.

“The only way we can save the forest and also save the communities around the forest is to do something very drastic and we are starting with that because we need to get enough force into the forest to clean these miscreants that have turned our forest into something else.

“The Ministry has signed a performance bond with Mr. President on 18-point deliverables in the priority areas that relate to our mandates. Most of our deliberations would be centered around the 18- point deliverables which is also in line with the 8-points Agenda of this administration.

“By the end of this retreat, it is hoped that strategies to implement the 18 deliverables of the Ministry would be proffered and implemented by all participants,” he said.

Some of the 18-points deliverables include: To develop and Implement a Capacity, Support the implementation of National Climate Change Policy; Develop and Implement a Capacity Building Programme on Climate Finance with Allied Institutions or Agencies; Accelerate implementation of the Ogoni Clean-up: Reclaim Brownfields and Greyfields into Sustainable Livelihood Support System Across the Country; Issuance of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA),  among others.