The Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal has assured Nigerians of Government’s commitment in safeguarding natural resources nationwide.
The Minister disclosed this at commemoration of the 2025 World Rangers Day with theme: “Rangers, Powering Transformative Conservation.”
Lawal reiterated that the World Rangers Day was established in 2007 by the International Rangers Federation (IRF) and the Thin Green Line Foundation (TGLF) to honour Rangers who lost their lives or got injured while conserving global natural resources as well as biodiversity.
He further revealed that the present administration of His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Renewed Hope Agenda was fully aware of the enormous challenges faced by Rangers in discharging their mandates such as organized crime on the forests, banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, castle rustling and poaching whish led to Nigeria accounts for 6 out of 67 Rangers death recorded in Africa.
Balarabe expressed his gratitude to the partners of the National Parks Service, African Nature Investors(ANI/, Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), Wildlife Conservation (WSC), United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC), Sterling Oil Exploitation and Energy Production Company (SCEPCO), and Sustainability and Conservation Education for Rural Areas (SCERA) for supporting the protection of Nigeria’s invaluable natural resource.
Earlier in his welcome address, Ibrahim Musa Goni, Conservator General of the National Park Service (NPC) commended all the invited guests for honouring their invitation which showed a strong commitment for the service.
Goni believed that World Rangers Day was usually celebrated globally by 167 members of IRF including Nigeria.
Rt Honourable Mike Itaba, the Chairman House Committee on Environment in his goodwill message assured the support of the House of Representative in ensuring effective protection of Nigeria’s Natural Resources.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Community Policing, Force Headquarters, Abuja Mohammed Usaini Gumel who represented the Inspector General of Police reaffirmed their support for protection of natural resource, critical infrastructure, training of Rangers and law enforcement across board.
The Director General, National Biosafety Development Agency, United Nation Conservation Ranger Council (UNCRC) and DCP Diko Bala of the International Rangers Federation expressed their continuous support in promoting wildlife conservation and biodiversity in Nigeria.
Highlights of the celebration were the NPS announcement of donation to the families of fallen Rangers, distinguished service award to the servicing officers of the service, stripping and assembling of rifle and a pulling exercise between the serving women and female corps members to entertain the guest.
Signed
Ibrahim Haruna
Director of Information
