Zulum Advocates For Reviving Sambisa Forest

Prof. Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State, has advocated for the re-establishment of the Sambisa forest, which was devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency that lasted more than ten years.

Zulum made the call while speaking at the UN’s High-Level Segment Roundtable on “Forest-Based Solutions to the Triple Planetary Crisis: A Focus on People, Science, Technology, and Finance” in New York on Thursday.

The governor stated that the crisis of insecurity caused by the Boko Haram insurgency has had a significant impact on Borno State, resulting in widespread displacement of communities, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of livelihoods.

He went on to say, “The conflict has also exacerbated environmental degradation, including deforestation and biodiversity loss in our major forest (Sambisa Forest), exacerbating our region’s vulnerabilities.”

He went on to say, “The loss of forest cover has resulted in soil erosion, decreased water availability, biodiversity loss, and increased vulnerability to climate change impacts.”

Governor Zulum stated that the shrinking of Lake Chad, which was a vital source of water and livelihood for millions of people in the region, is a direct result of climate change caused by the ongoing destruction of forests like Sambisa.

According to the governor, deforestation in Borno State has been caused by a number of factors, including population growth, agricultural expansion, unsustainable land use practices, energy demand, and the impact of the conflict.

Zulum listed initiatives such as rehabilitation and restoration, community engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and collaboration and partnership as ways to save the forest from being destroyed by terrorist activities.

The Nigerian delegation was led by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawan, and included Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal and other officials.