In a bid to enhance security and combat criminal activities in Nigeria’s national parks, the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) has donated Toyota Hilux patrol vehicles to 11 national parks across Northern Nigeria.
The donation was made over the weekend to the National Park Service (NPS) to support forest policing efforts amid growing threats of insurgency, banditry, and poaching.
During the handover ceremony, Mr. Abdulhamid Umar, National Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, presented the vehicles to Dr. Ibrahim Goni, Conservator-General of the NPS.
The Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Lawal, hailed the donation as a significant step in protecting Nigeria’s natural resources and wildlife.
“The handover of these vehicles is a testament to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to bolstering the capacity of the National Park Service,” said Lawal. “These vehicles will enhance patrols, surveillance, and rapid response to poaching and other threats, ensuring better preservation of wildlife and the environment.”
He also praised ACReSAL’s broader contributions, including restoring 77,271 hectares of degraded land, planting nearly 1.7 million trees, and improving park management across the northern region. Since its inception in 2022, the ACReSAL project has directly benefited over one million people, with nearly half of the beneficiaries being women.
Dr. Goni, Conservator-General of the NPS, expressed gratitude for the support, promising that the vehicles and ICT equipment previously donated by ACReSAL would be utilized to enhance park operations and security. He called for continued support to further protect Nigeria’s rich biodiversity.
