Connect with us

News

Conservators reveal flora, fauna features in Nigeria National Parks

Published

on

Conservators of some of the Nigeria National Parks have reeled out the flora and fauna assets of each of the parks, urging Nigerians to cultivate the habit of visiting them.

They made the disclosure during the “Naija Seven Wonder’’ webinar session on Sunday, organised by Mr Ikechi Uko, who is the Organiser, AKWAABA Africa Travel and Tourism Market.

The theme of the webinar was: “Eco-tourism in Nigeria with National Park Service’’.

Mohammed Kabir, Conservator of Park (CP), Gashaka Gumti National Park, situated between Adamawa and Taraba states, said that the park was the largest and most scenic out of the seven national parks in the country.

Kabir said that there were about 400 bird species, 103 mammal species, 55 Pisces species, 22 reptile species, and seven amphibian species as well as more than 1,000 plants species.

He said the park was well endowed with tourists’ attractions like fascinating waterfalls, Museum of natural history and Kwano forest which is an excellent site for primate watching and more.

“In Gashaka Gumti, tourists can explore in Mayo River which is pleasurable for swimming and sport fishing; Gangirwal Mountain is another fascinating site with the highest peak in Nigeria of about 2,419 square metre above sea level.

“We also have three natural hot springs: Matashirp, Majiagum and Mashayin Zafi; historical sites where the ruins of the German, French and English forts could be found.

“These are some of the interesting features of Gashaka Gumti National Park, we urge tourists to visit and explore nature at its best,’’ he said.

Kabir said the park had been able to record some remarkable achievements in recent times, among which were the integration of the park into the security architecture of Taraba State and resuscitation of the local advisory committee.

He said the park had also been able to forge strategic collaboration with sister agencies for intelligence sharing and joint operations and likewise, Public Private Partnerships.

He noted that for advancement in the park, there must be improved funding from the Federal Government, manpower development, socio-economic empowerment of host communities and resuscitation of degraded grazing reserves.

Also, Caroline Olory, Conservator, Cross River National Park, said the park was established with the primary purpose of protecting the remaining tropical rainforest in Nigeria.

Olory said this was after about 90 per cent of the original rainforest had been lost due to poor land use.

She said the park was the richest part of Nigeria’s biodiversity, a home to over 2,500 plants and animals species, and also known as one of the United Nations (UN) recognised important bird areas.

“Out of the 23 species of primates that are known to be in Nigeria, more than 18 species are in Cross River National Park, representing 78 per cent of total number recorded in the country.

“Other species of conservation interest include the endemic Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee, Drill, Baboon, Preuss’s Red Colobus monkey, Forest Elephant, Forest Bufallo and other iconic species.

“1,568 species of plants have been documented in Oban division of the park.

“The scenic Oban hills, the lush tropical rainforest combined with its aquatic splendour are fascinating enough to attract tourists.

“The illuminating cultural environment when taken along with hospitable people, Cross River National Park remains a veritable destination for different categories of visitors,’’ she said.

Joseph Ntui, Conservator of Park, Old Oyo National Park, said that the park was quite unique considering the fact that it was the only park with prospects of ecological, cultural and historical features.

“Some of the fauna assets of the park are the Roan Antelope, Western Hartebeest, Kob, Red flanked Duiker, Grey Duiker, Patas monkey, Baboon, Water Buck, Oribi, Warthog, Nile Crocodile Black Viper, Guinea fowl, Bush fowl, Wood Pecker and more.

“There are also abundance of cultural artefacts within and around the parks which make it both ecological and historical.

“Some of the relics in a segment of the park called `Oyo-ile’ are the Defence walls, Mejiro industrial site, Agbaku Cave and Alafin Palace ruins,’’ he said.

He said that the tourism industry in Nigeria lacked sustainable awareness creation of its potential, urging government to focus more on advocacy. (NAN)

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

The Academic Staff Union of Universities chapter at Taraba State University has issued a final warning to the Taraba State Government, calling on Governor Agbu Kefas to immediately implement the 2025 Federal Government–ASUU agreement or risk an indefinite strike.

Published

on

By

In a statement signed by the chapter chairman, Joshua Garba Mbaver, the union accused the state government of repeatedly failing to honour agreements reached with its members, describing the situation as a threat to staff welfare and the future of the institution.

Declaring that lecturers had exhausted their patience, the union stated:

“Enough of empty promises is enough.”

ASUU said its outstanding demands include the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government–ASUU negotiated agreement, payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), Professorial Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), and all outstanding arrears owed to academic staff.

According to the union, these issues have been discussed and documented through several engagements with the state government, but no concrete action has been taken.

“Instead of taking concrete action, our union has been met with silence and neglect by the Taraba State Government,” the statement said.

The union argued that the 2025 agreement was designed to improve staff welfare, strengthen university funding, revitalize public universities, and enhance conditions of service.

It described the government’s continued failure to implement the agreement as “unacceptable, provocative and dangerous,” warning that it undermines collective bargaining and demonstrates a lack of commitment to the survival of the university.

ASUU emphasized that it was not seeking preferential treatment but simply demanding the implementation of agreements already reached.

“We are demanding what is due to our members. We demand respect for labour, fairness, and the comprehensive implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement.”

The union further warned that unless the Taraba State Government addresses its demands within the shortest possible time, it will have no option but to embark on an indefinite strike, a move that could significantly disrupt academic activities at Taraba State University.

Continue Reading

News

Ex- AGF Aondoakaa, SAN condemns killings in Benue

Published

on

By

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Benue State election, Chief Michael Aondoakaa,SAN on Wednesday strongly condemned the current wave of attacks in parts of the state, which have led to the killing of many innocent people and the displacement of thousands of others.

Aondoakaa, in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, James Ian, and made available to Our correspondent in Abuja said one of the unfortunate incidents was the recent killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Risku Muhammed, describing the murder as reprehensible and unacceptable.

He urged security agencies to find the killers of the MACBAN leader.

Similarly, the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice condemned today’s attack on Saai Community in Mbajir Ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, which claimed the lives of scores of innocent people and left many others with varying degrees of injuries.

Chief Aondoakaa SAN said he received the tragic news with immense shock and deep sorrow, describing the massacre as another painful reminder of the worsening security situation in Benue State.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the people of Saai Community, Mbajir Ward and the entire Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, while praying for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack.

He also condemned similar attacks on Benue communities in Agatu, Guma, Gwer West, Kwande and other parts of the state.

While condemning the barbaric assault in Katsina-Ala, Chief Aondoakaa, SAN insisted that the primary responsibility of every government is the protection of lives and property, as clearly provided under Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He therefore called on the Benue State Government to rise to its constitutional responsibility by taking proactive and practical measures to secure the lives of the people instead of allowing communities to remain vulnerable to terrorists, bandits and armed invaders.

He noted that the Benue State Government has no justification whatsoever for failing the people on security, especially when unprecedented funds have been accruing to it following the removal of the fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu to enable states to have the necessary support and resources to confront security challenges within their territories.

According to him, it is both unfortunate and unacceptable that despite the enormous resources available to the present government, many Benue communities have continued to suffer relentless attacks with little evidence of a coordinated state response.

He demanded that the Benue State Government explain what it is doing with the huge monthly security votes appropriated for the protection of lives and property when communities are repeatedly attacked, thousands of people are displaced from their ancestral homes, and innocent men, women and children continue to lose their lives.

He maintained that security votes must translate into visible support for security agencies, improved intelligence gathering, rapid emergency response and concrete measures capable of preventing attacks, rather than becoming mere budgetary figures without corresponding results.

He urged security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation, apprehend those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted in accordance with the law, stressing that every life is sacred and that justice must be served irrespective of the identity of the victim.

He further expressed concern over the deplorable condition and abandonment of rural roads across Benue State, warning that the collapse of critical road infrastructure has continued to undermine security operations by delaying the movement of troops and emergency responders to distressed communities.

According to him, accessible rural roads are not merely development projects but strategic security assets that enable security personnel to respond swiftly to distress calls, pursue criminal elements and protect vulnerable populations.

He called on the military, the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and all other security agencies to intensify ongoing operations, bring the perpetrators of the Katsina-Ala massacre and other violent crimes to justice, and ensure that no part of Benue State remains under the control or threat of criminal elements.

Aondoakaa prayed for the peaceful repose of the souls of those who lost their lives in the attacks, including the MACBAN Chairman, Alhaji Ardo Risku Muhammed, those who were killed in Saai, as well as all other victims of attacks in the state, asking that God grant comfort to their families and healing to the injured.

Continue Reading

News

RMAFC Chairman Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Corrupt Enrichment

Published

on

By

The Coalition of Civil Society Groups on Transparency and Accountability (CCGTA) has accused the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, OFR of corrupt enrichment

The coalition, an umbrella body of Nigerian civil society organisations focused on anti-corruption and good governance, has written to the RMAFC chairman seeking clarification over what it describes as discrepancies between the assets he declared in his 2020 Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) asset declaration and his current traceable wealth.

In a letter dated 29th June 2026 and signed by its Coordinator, Comrade Bashir Kurfi, a copy of which seen by our correspondent, the coalition stated that it was concerned about an “inexplicable gap” between the financial assets, personal properties and other interests declared by Dr. Shehu upon his appointment as Secretary of the Commission in 2020 and his present wealth profile.

According to the letter, “we are first of all genuinely concerned with the inconsistencies observed in the 2020 asset declaration. However, that is not our immediate focus at the moment. What’s paramount at the moment is the sudden unexplained wealth.

“Our action is not vindictive but a standard accountability procedure employed by CCGTA, which gives public individuals the opportunity to respond to allegations before further steps are taken.

“Any further action by us, including the decision to organise public protests, petition anti-corruption agencies, institute legal proceedings or publicly campaign on the matter would depend on the outcome of the clarification sought from the Chairman”

The coalition gave Dr. Shehu three days ultimatum to respond to the issues raised and threatened” “to invoke all legal means within its power to pursue the matter to logical conclusion if their request is not adequately addressed”.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2017 Zox News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by WordPress.