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The Delta State Government has threatened to arrest and prosecute anyone caught hunting protective animals within the state in line with the laws of the land.
Commissioner of Information, Charles Aniagwu, who gave the warning in a statement maintained that anybody caught killing such animals would be jailed, as the state could not continue to watch people destroy its ecosystem out of ignorance.
Rather than kill such animals, Aniagwu advised citizens to help them return to their natural habitats where necessary.
He disclosed that the state Ministry of Information would partner its Environment counterpart and other relevant government agencies to carry out intensive campaigns on the preservation of the endangered protective animals.
“The attention of the Delta State Government has been drawn to an online video where some uninformed youths were seen dragging a captured Manatee, which is among protective sea animals.
“We condemn in its entirety the inhuman act of the unidentified youths whose actions have become an embarrassment to the state.
“The state government seriously frowns at the actions of the youths, which negates the Bonn Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals,” the statement reads.
The state government, therefore, warned that anyone caught hunting protective animals within the state would be arrested and prosecuted in line with relevant laws of the land.
“It is against the laws of the land for those in the habit of killing animals that are protected by the law. Anybody caught killing such animals will be jailed because we cannot continue to watch people destroy our natural environment out of ignorance. To be forewarned is to be forearmed,” the statement added.