NESREA To Inaugurate Environmental Taskforce

The National Environmen
tal Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency said that the Federal Government would soon inaugurate its National Environmental Security Taskforce.
Director-General of the agency, Dr Ngeri Benebo, stated at a workshop on the implementation of the Environment Training Module in Abuja, that the establishment of the taskforce was in line with the intentions of the International Criminal Police Organisation.
She said INTERPOL had recognized the importance of environmental crime, thus leading to the setting up of a division of environmental crime to combat the menace at the national, regional and global levels.
The director-general said NESREA had been active in the programmes of INTERPOL’s Environmental crime Division emphasising that the agency is currently serving on the Governing Board of the INTERPOL Environmental Crime Programme and on a Working Group on Pollution Crime issues as they relate to Nigeria.
Benebo said, “In line with the dictates of INTERPOL, Nigeria will soon inaugurate its National Environmental Security taskforce (NEST). The INTERPOL has recognized the importance of environmental crime, and has therefore, set up a division of environmental crime so as to combat the menace at the national regional and global levels. “It is expected that every INTERPOL National Central Bureau should have an Environmental Crime Unit.”
“NESREA has been very active in the programmes of INTERPOL Environmental Crime Division. “I want to use this opportunity to express appreciation for the support the agency has received from the INTERPOL national centre bureau. “The agency will also be working closely with them in the area of environment crime which has direct relevance to this environment training programme for the Nigeria Police, “we are conscious of the key role the Nigerian Police can play in the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in Nigeria, “ she  added . Benebo said the training of the police on environmental compliance and enforcement would boost its knowledge on environmental issues noting that the training would also expose the trainees to the activities of relevant international environmental organizations and institutions as well as local laws and global agreements on environmental protection.