The Executive Director of African Nature Investors (ANI), Tunde Morakinyo, has highlighted illegal mining as a major issue confronting the Gashaka Gumti National Park.

Speaking at the commissioning of Rangers outpost located in  the northern sector of the park in Tungo Local government  council of Adamawa State, he expressed optimism that the new outpost will enhance ranger efforts to deter illegal mining activities within the protected areas

Morakinyo also urged the federal government to take immediate action to shut down illegal mining operations in the region, emphasizing the link between illegal mining and increased criminal activity.

Calling on the host communities to jealousy protect the park from human activities, such as poaching, and habitat destruction among others, combating the ills activities, he believed, is now more critical than ever.

Morakinyo, who believes that the foundation’s mission extends beyond protecting the environment to fostering sustainable development for local communities, highlighted ANI’s success in creating over 600 jobs both directly and indirectly for residents living near protected areas.

These opportunities, he said, are crucial for improving livelihoods and alleviating poverty in the region, hence the need for all hands according to him to be on deck to checkmate illegal activities in the park.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas, who spoke through the Conservator General of Park, Ibrahim Goni, observed that the outpost, which was constructed by ANI, was a preservation of natural heritage and a testament to what can be achieved when partnerships are forged for a common purpose.

The minister who admitted that “our nation has faced unprecedented challenges in protecting our rich biodiversity”,  said the challenges have been exacerbated by “poaching, habitat destruction, climate change, and more recently, general security as a result of insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, among others.”

He urged the host communities to extend the much-desired hands of friendship to ANI, the rangers, and other staff of the park to cripple all the vices bedeviling the park.

Also in their parts, both the first-class traditional ruler of the emirate and the Chairman of the Adamawa state chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), who also doubles as the council boss of Toungo, vowed to join forces with ANI to frustrate illegal activities in the park.

Elated by ANI’s interventions, members of the community who reeled out the advantages they believed would be derived from the park by the host communities, said they would not sit back and watch the park be destroyed.