As part of a drive to curb wildlife trafficking, Nigeria incinerated 2.5 tons of stolen elephant tusks worth $11.2 million on Tuesday.
“We are honored to be at the vanguard of the fight against the illegal ivory trade.” “Today’s ivory crush is a symbol of Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation and the preservation of our natural heritage,” said Isiaq Salako, Nigeria’s state minister for the environment.
Salako stated that his government is taking a tough stand against illegal trade, which threatens the existence of elephants, and he urged the international community to work with the country.
He stated that the crushed tusk powder would be utilized to construct a symbolic national park monument in the country’s capital.
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Nigeria has been fighting illegal elephant tusk collecting. Due to a surge in illegal wildlife trading and weak implementation of conservation legislation, the country was suspended from CITES trade in 1989. In 2011, the suspension was removed.
CITES is a legally binding multilateral pact aimed at protecting endangered plants and animals from international trade risks.
