By Osaretin Osadebamwen, The Nigerian Tribune
Firms across eighty-nine industries in twenty-four states of the federal were closed up for violating environmental guidelines in Nigeria.
The Director-General National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro said this on Tuesday, at a media parley.
Jauro who canvassed for a special court to facilitate speedy closure of cases on environmental matters lamented the slow pace of environmental cases. His words: “The Agency carries out enforcement exercise to erring facilities, industries and businesses who refuse to abide by set standards and environmental obligations.
“Facilities that have been issued with at least 3 letters of Notification of Concerns or 3 Abatement Notices and still refuse to take actions on the recommendations on the concern are sealed (carrot and stick approach) until penalties are paid.
“Sometime this year, the Agency carried out such exercise in 24 States of the Federation where a total of 89 facilities were sealed. Some of these facilities were dragged before the court of Law for appropriate sanctions,” Jauro stated.
He noted that in its bid to ensure convention on international trade of endangered species of flora and fauna, the agencies sized several specimens such as Elephant tusk, worked, semi-worked Ivory, Pangolin Scales, Rhino Horn in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service, National Center Bureau (NCB) Interpol.
According to him “Presently, about 2,972 pieces of Elephant tusk and ivories weighing 1,3851.55kg, as well as 74 pieces of non-elephant ivories weighing 98.50kg and 27 sacks + Leather Bag weighing 290.05kg are in the Agency’s custody as seized items.
“Culprits of these items have been prosecuted by the Agency in the court of law,” he stated.
