The Federal Government says it has destroyed a substantial quantity of seized wildlife products including pangolin scales alongside leopard, python and crocodile skins for the first time in its history.
It said this marked a significant step towards combating wildlife trafficking and protecting the nation’s biodiversity.
The incineration event took place in Abuja, with representatives from various government agencies, local and international environmental NGOs, and wildlife conservation experts in attendance.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency in collaboration with the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, methodically reduced a total of 3,914.08kg (nearly four tonnes) of seized pangolin scales.
They also destroyed 110kg of skins from protected species including leopard, python and crocodile to ashes. This brought the total quantity of seized wildlife products that were destroyed to 4,024.1kg
