Nigeria Unveils Large Elephant Sculpture Made from Destroyed Trafficked Wildlife Ivory and Tusks

The Federal Government has unveiled an elephant sculpture made from pulverised wildlife stockpiles, marking the culmination of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency’s (NESREA) disposal of approximately six tonnes of confiscated wildlife stockpiles.

NESREA is the agency designated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to enforce international law governing endangered species.

The sculpture, the first of its kind in Nigeria, symbolises the country’s zero-tolerance policy towards wildlife trafficking and commitment to protecting listed endangered species of wild fauna and flora.

The event on Wednesday is a watershed moment in Nigeria’s efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade, which has posed a significant threat to the country’s biodiversity and global conservation efforts.

Between 2011 and 2023, NESREA and sister agencies such as the Nigerian Customs Service worked together to arrest a number of suspects. NESREA seized 185 bags of pangolin scales weighing 3991 kilogrammes, 11 bags of crocodiles and other listed reptiles, leopard skins and feathers weighing 102 kilogrammes, and 2500 kilogrammes of ivory.

NESREA incinerated the seized pangolin scales and other animal skins in October 2023, and the confiscated ivory was crushed in January 2024. Both exercises were supported by the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation (EPIF) of the United Kingdom and the US Embassy in Nigeria.

The Minister of Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, unveiled the statue made from the residue of pulverised confiscated stockpiles and officially named it the ‘Giwa Statue of Renewed Hope. He reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to eradicating wildlife trafficking in Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to help fight illegal wildlife trafficking by providing intelligence, discouraging animal poaching, and refusing to use non-ethically sourced products, emphasising that “we need wildlife for our survival, well-being, and prosperity because they maintain ecological balance, the food chain, and keep us connected to nature.”

Dr. Innocent Barikor, Director General of NESREA, stated, “This Elephant sculpture symbolises Nigeria’s commitment to zero tolerance for Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) at all levels, as well as proof to CITES communities that Nigeria has not relented in carrying out its obligations under international environmental conventions and promoting eco-tourism.”

NESREA is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Environment tasked with enforcing all environmental laws, policies, guidelines, standards, and regulations, as well as ensuring compliance with the provisions of multilateral environmental agreements, protocols, conventions, and treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.