Matilda Omonaiye/
Two men have been held by the Police in Owerri, Imo State for allegedly hawking Elephant and Buffalo meat.
The President of the Nigerian Association of Zoological Gardens and Wildlife Parks (NAZAP), Mr Francis Abioye, who is also the Director of the Imo State Zoo, made this disclosure through a statement issued by the association’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Vitalise Ortese in Abeokuta on Friday.
Ortese stated that the incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday and the attention of the security agents were brought to the development.
He identified the suspects as 25-year-old Mr Harisel Mohammed and Mr Mahadi Yusuf, 18, both from Ningi LGA in Bauchi State.
He said that preliminary investigations suggested that they got the meat and parts from wildlife poachers and bandits from the Yankari Games Reserve in Bauchi.
He stated, “It is illegal, under the ENDANGERED SPECIES (CONTROL OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TRAFFIC) ACT, an Act that provides for the conservation and management of Nigeria’s wildlife and the protection of some of her endangered species. These species are in danger of extinction as a result of overexploitation.
“The first part of the Act states: ‘As from the commencement of this Act, the hunting or capture of or trade in, the animal species specified in the First Schedule to this Act (being animal species threatened with extinction) is absolutely prohibited.
“The second part of the Act further states, “As from the commencement of this Act, no person shall hunt, capture, trade in or otherwise deal with an animal species specified in the Second Schedule to this Act (being animals which, though not necessarily now threatened with extinction, may become so threatened unless trade in respect of such species is controlled) except where he is in possession of a licence issued under this Act.”
According to Ortese, the arrested meat hawkers “are making useful statements to the Police and NAZAP working with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and authorities of the Yankari Game Reserve will push for their prosecution in accordance with the law”.