National Park Service advocates special courts for wildlife crime

The National Park Service has called for the establishment of special courts to try cases of wildlife crime in the country.
Its Conservator-General, Haruna Abubakar, who made the call in Abuja said when established, such courts should be able to ensure faster dispensation of justice than the regular courts.
“I solicit or recommend a special court to try cases of wildlife crime because most of the time when cases are taken to (the regular) court, you find out that the series of adjournments sometimes delay justice. But with these special courts, hearing of the cases will be fast-tracked because these cases are just straight cases. It might also minimise interference; fines as specified in the (extant) law can be aptly applied instead of depending on penal codes which were established by the (defunct) regions,” he said.
He stressed the need to preserve, conserve and protect the nation’s forests from illicit traffickers in wild flora, especially in view of the increasing effects of climate change on human lives and the environment.
The conservator-general listed poaching, grazing, felling of trees, entrance, camping, fishing, and encroachment on parks as some of the offences against wildlife. (NAN