?Today I know that if I put my hands on my heart and somebody says, what is really the status, the statistical figures of wildlife in Nigeria? I?m not sure that I can tell you as the Minister of Environment. And if I am going to say something, is going to be probably ten years old in terms of its information??(sic). These were the words of Minister of Environment, Nigeria, as Nigeria celebrates the 45^th World Environment Day in Abuja, Nigeria. I am left with no other choice but to ask how we can manage what we have no data about. Such has been the state of wildlife conservation in Nigeria over the years.

Even without official data, Nigerians are aware that our wildlife has been severely depleted. Corroborating this claim, Amina Mohammed, Minister of Environment said ?we are all aware that the status of wildlife in Nigeria sadly leaves more to be desired, as the depletion of the population of animals like elephants, lions, giraffes, leopards, ostriches, etc, is frightening?. In Nigeria, wildlife trade has reached such unpalatable height as having designated markets where poachers sell exorbitantly, meats of killed wildlife popularly called ?bush meat?. In the words of Dr. Chidi, a biodiversity expert, ?we are seeing a situation where people have the right to walk into the forest and kill whatever animal they come across and nobody is stopping or jailing them, if things remain this way then in nearest future our forests would be without any animal?

Trade in wildlife is a very good money-spinning business not only in Nigeria but world over. A United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) and INTERPOL report shows that global environmental crime worth up to $213bn each year, was helping to finance criminal, militia and terrorist groups and threatening the security and sustainable development of many nations. For wildlife alone, BusinessToday(2016) reported that the value of illegal trade in wildlife has been estimated at between $10 and $23bn per year, making wildlife crime the fourth most lucrative illegal business after narcotics, human trafficking and weapons.

The victims of wildlife, according to UNEP Executive Director, are not only the animals and ecosystems that are devastated by poaching and trafficking, they are the people as well. The human cost of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife is measured in lives lost to criminal networks involved and livelihood by the erosion of a natural economic foundation? he maintained. This makes the fight against illegal wildlife trading a very important one. What then is the essence of this fight? How can we achieve the desired result from this fight?

In Nigeria, there are federal ministries and agencies tasked with the responsibility of developing a robust wildlife, ensure their continued existence and protection. But the challenge here has been that these agencies are not up and doing in their execution of this task. There are national policy on environment, national policy on forestry, wildlife and protected areas and other bye-laws that guard against any unlawful exploitation of these wildlife. The most effective means of fighting illegal trading in wildlife in Nigeria would simply be revision and enforcement of these existing legal frameworks no need for formulating new laws at all. This would rapidly foster the implementation of these policies. It is no news that most of these wildlife thieves have the backing of some selfish prominent Nigerians. It is therefore only the law that can prove to be the most effective tool in this fight. Nigeria should also adopt favourable world best practices in wildlife management as recommended by world conventional bodies like the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), World Conservation Union (IUCN), etc. This step would ensure that the wildlife management practices found here in Nigeria would be in tune with what is obtainable in most places all over the world. Nigeria should also embark on massive wildlife campaign to correct some negative classical notions and misconception about wildlife. The fight against illegal trading of wildlife should be a crusade engaged in by every Nigerian. We should unite and kick against any form of wildlife criminality. It should be a collective struggle to keep nature better than we met it.

Why is it necessary that we keep nature intact or even make it better? Apart from the economic reasons which are not to be ignored either, keeping wildlife would amount to keeping our history for the generations to come. It would help in maintaining our ecosystem, the environment that we have found ourselves in. Keeping our wildlife would caution the effects of the emerging reality—climate change. Due to our richness in wildlife, Nigeria has wide spread National Parks and Game Reserves all over the country. Establishments like these have multiplier effect on the economy of Nigeria. It opens opportunity for tourists and creates avalanche of opportunities for cultural exchange and foreign direct investments. According to the Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, stopping illegal trade in wildlife would ensure the preservation and maintenance of population of useful species, conservation of wildlife for education and research, protection of the fauna and flora resources from over exploitation for medicine and other economic products?

Recognizing the essence and the gains therein in the fight against illegal trade in wildlife, different non-governmental groups, government parastatals, ministries and agencies and well-meaning Nigerians have been making concerted efforts to put an end to this menace. An individual ?safe wildlife? campaign would be the answer. If we all can start this campaign, wildlife criminals would be flushed out of this country. Each of us HAS to do something now!