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Green Growth Africa Establishes EcoJustice Africa to bring Violators of Environmental Laws to Book
Green Growth Africa Establishes EcoJustice Africa to bring Violators of Environmental Laws to Book
By: Michael Mike
In order to put an end the prolonged environmental crimes in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, the Green Growth Africa has established EcoJustice Africa to bring violators of environmental laws and standards to book.
The rise of environmental crimes across Africa, and its catastrophic consequences on our socio-economic prosperity and natural ecosystems has become of great concern.
Speaking at a pre-launch press conference of EcoJustice Africa, Dr. Adedoyin Adeleke, the Executive Director of Green Growth Africa, a leading United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)-accredited NGO committed to the innovation, development and implementation of ‘greened’ socio-economic development solutions to address Africa’s development challenges, quoting UNEP said: “Environmental crimes have emerged as the world’s fourth largest form of organised crime, trailing only drug trafficking, counterfeiting, and human trafficking,
He lamented that: “As a continent, Africa is blessed with rich biodiversity and natural resources: a quarter of the world’s mammal species, one-fifth of the world’s bird species, and one-sixth of the world’s remaining forests call Africa home. Sadly, out abundant biodiversity coupled with endemic poverty, weak regulatory frameworks, and low risks of detection and conviction makes Africa a prime target for illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, hazardous waste dumping, and other environmental violations.”
He noted that: “These violations are concentrated in remote and marginalised communities, areas often beyond the reach of conventional security, government, and even media. While these crimes are properly called “crimes against the environment”, in reality, they can be described as “crimes against humanity” given their far-reaching economic and social implications.”
He further decried that every year, environmental crimes cost Africa about $195 billion, noting that: “in context, that is more than 10 times of Nigeria’s total budget for 2024. For the over 70 per cent of people living in sub-Saharan Africa who depend on forests and woodlands for their food and livelihoods, environmental crimes threaten their food security, jobs, and incomes. These illicit activities not only devastate ecosystems and the lives of millions of Africans dependent on ecosystem services but also fuel corruption, promote money laundering, and weaken the rule of law. As such, developing African economies lose billions in potential revenues and development opportunities, while a small group of criminals reaps the profits – leading to the quandary which in Nigerian parlance may be described as “monkey dey work, baboon dey chop.”
He added that: “Beyond the immediate potential socio-economic impacts of environmental crimes and violations, such human activities negatively affect natural ecosystems, leading to environment-related calamities that are entirely preventable. For instance, droughts – one of the most common “disasters” in Africa – can be linked to illegal logging and deforestation. While we often mischaracterise such events as ‘natural disasters,’ the truth is that they are not natural at all. Terming and referring to them as natural disasters posit that they happen naturally, that there is nothing we did to cause them and there is nothing we can do to prevent them. But is that really true? No! Nature is balanced from creation, disasters of such form for which we suffer significant social, economic and environmental losses are caused by humanity’s upset of the natural ecosystem. Hence, we say: “there are no natural disasters, rather, nature-based disasters.”
He noted that EcoJustice Africa is here to bring solution to the many environmental challenges, introducing a citizen-driven, tech-enabled initiative designed to combat environmental crimes and empower communities to exercise their “right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment”.
He revealed that EcoJustice Africa combines seven solution pillars to stem environmental crimes and promote environmental justice in Africa: Citizen Empowerment, Digital Innovation, Data Verification, Stakeholder Engagement, Evidence-based Advocacy, Data-Driven Policy Engagement and Strategic Litigation.
To employ a people-centred approach, empower citizens as environmental activists, facilitate inclusivity and equitable access to the media; Green Growth Africa developed the groundbreaking digital innovation.”
He said: “The devastating consequences of environmental crimes extend far beyond the environment —they disrupt the lives of millions of Africans, threaten food security, and jeopardize the socio-economic development of our beloved continent. Urgent, coordinated action is needed to combat these crimes and protect Africa’s future. EcoJustice Africa stands at the forefront of this action. By empowering citizens with digital tools to expose environmental crimes, we amplify their voices and shine a light on injustices that often go unnoticed. Our approach ensures that decision-makers have access to accurate, timely data to deliver targeted policy interventions, hold perpetrators accountable, and foster systemic change. Through EcoJustice Africa, we are building a movement to reclaim our collective right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
“We cannot do this alone. To governments, we call on you to prioritise policies and frameworks that protect our biodiversity and ecosystems from illicit activities and strengthen regulatory capacity to curtail environmental violations. To civil society organisations, join us in amplifying community voices and driving grassroots action. To the private sector, partner with us to sustain and expand EcoJustice Africa’s impact. To the media, we invite you to collaborate with us in amplifying the fight against environmental crimes by using your platforms to spotlight these issues and raise awareness about their far-reaching consequences.
“Together, we can combat environmental crimes, restore dignity to those whose livelihoods depend on Africa’s natural resources, and create a just, equitable, and prosperous Africa.”
Green Growth Africa Establishes EcoJustice Africa to bring Violators of Environmental Laws to Book
Troops rescue kidnapped farmer as ISWAP terrorists flee with bullet wounds in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued a farmer who was abducted by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in New Abaram village, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred on Sunday when three terrorists, disguised as hunters with dogs, infiltrated farmlands in the community and kidnapped the victim.
The sources said that the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, responded swiftly after farm escorts in the area alerted troops.
“On sighting our troops, the terrorists opened fire on the victim and fled the scene with gunshot wounds,” the source said.
The victim sustained gunshot injuries to the mouth and hand and was immediately evacuated to General Hospital, Bama, where he is receiving medical treatment.
The source added that the general security situation in the area remained calm.
Troops rescue kidnapped farmer as ISWAP terrorists flee with bullet wounds in Borno
Exclusive photo obtain by Zagazola confirms arrest Boko Haram founder’s son, others in Chad
By: Zagazola Makama
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert has obtained exclusive photos confirming the arrest of the 18-year-old son of late Boko Haram founder, Muslim Mohammed Yusuf, in Chad.
The suspect, was reportedly captured alongside five other jihadists during a security operation by Chadian forces. Sources said he was leading a six-man cell linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a splinter faction of Boko Haram.
Photos seen by Zagazola show a young, short and slender man in a blue tracksuit, bearing a striking resemblance to the late Boko Haram leader, standing among far older suspects.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola that Abdrahman is the younger brother of ISWAP leader, Habib Yusuf, also known as Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawi.
Security sources in Chad confirmed the arrest of six suspected members of Boko Haram/ISWAP but declined to provide further details on their identities.
Mohammed Yusuf, founder of Boko Haram, was captured by the Nigerian military and later executed in police custody in Maiduguri on July 30, 2009.
The younger Yusuf, believed to have been born in Nigeria before the group’s insurgency escalated in 2009, is said to have been groomed into militancy and recently emerged as a field commander within ISWAP’s Lake Chad network.
“He and his team were arrested by Chadian security. They are six in number. He was the head of the cell.”
The arrest is being seen as a major breakthrough in ongoing regional efforts to dismantle jihadist networks operating across the Lake Chad Basin.
Exclusive photo obtain by Zagazola confirms arrest Boko Haram founder’s son, others in Chad
Prof. Ahidjo urges colleagues to stem the tide of medical tourism affecting the country
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) Professor Ahmed Ahidjo has called on colleagues in the medical sector to step up their level of excellence to stem the tide of medical tourism affecting the country.
Ahidjo who was the guest speaker during a recent dinner in honour of the former CMD of the Federal Neuro Psychiatrist Hospital (FNPH) Maiduguri, Professor Ibrahim Wakawa argued that it is only the excellence Nigerian physicians are known abroad for that can decrease the crave for residents to resist medical tourism which is on the rise in the country.
He noted that when excellence is stamped in all facets of the medical sector,the needed growth will be achieved and a lot of people who are not satisfied with the sector will begin to have a rethink and do their treatments in Nigeria.
Ahidjo commended Professor Wakawa for a job well done adding that “he has really done well by transforming the hospital from where he met it to where it is right now.”
“Professor Wakawa is a former member of the executive of the ‘Committee of CMDS’ who believed so much in professionalism while he was there so I am not surprised that he rose to such a high height in his career ” Said Ahidjo.
The CMD called on colleagues to do their best at all times so that only the best could be mirrored out as their personal optics when people begin to look for the good or bad outputs of professionals at times like these adding that it is however not always necessary to look out for the bad side of people when striving for excellence.
Ahidjo equally commended the CMDs for daring to come to Maiduguri in spite of all the fears and myths associated with the state due to the lingering insurgency war that is affecting social life.
UMTH he maintained is privileged to have them in town for the 110th session they came for adding that he is grateful for having them in Maiduguri at a time like this.
Reeling out the achievements of the CMD, he said that Wakawa has face-lifted the entire hospital from how he met it to a very special place devoid of the usual inhibitions associated with mental hospitals.
” He not only stopped at infrastructure, he has been able to produce more than ten consultants and four Phd nurses during his tenure as CMD. About two other psychologists are doing their PhD’s as at the time he is completing his tenure”.
Also pouring encomium on Wakawa, the Secretary to the State government, Alhaji Bukar Tijani commended Wakawa for his achievements in the FNPH.
He assured the committee that the state is relatively peaceful for now adding that whatever hospitality that has been meted out to them during the visit is the typical “Borno hospitality” which is the true hallmark of the residents of the state.
Responding, the former CMD FNPH Professor Wakawa thanked colleagues for lining up to celebrate the end of his tenure at the dinner held at the new Bola Tinubu IT complex in the UMTH.
He gave credence to Professor Ahmed Ahidjo for guiding him throughout the nine years he spent as CMD rectifying many issues at the FNPH in Maiduguri.
He however warned that rectifiers like him are most times seen as committing wrongs against the status quo adding that there are so many challenges in the medical sector which needs fixing if one has the determination and guts to fix it.
” Its regrettable however that that is the way the system works. They are always waiting to resist the standard practice which we all know thereby distorting the difference between wrong and right as we all know it to be.
Professor Ibrahim Wakawa a consultant psychiatrist and lecturer at the University of Maiduguri was the Chief Medical Director of the FNPH in Maiduguri before completing his two terms tenure as CMD recently. He is a consultant psychiatrist and a lecturer in Psychiatry at the University of Maiduguri, with research interests in HIV psychiatry, psychopharmacology, and epilepsy.
Prof. Ahidjo urges colleagues to stem the tide of medical tourism affecting the country
Troops rescue kidnapped farmer as ISWAP terrorists flee with bullet wounds in Borno
Exclusive photo obtain by Zagazola confirms arrest Boko Haram founder’s son, others in Chad
Prof. Ahidjo urges colleagues to stem the tide of medical tourism affecting the country
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