NESREA Rewards Lagos Chief For Stopping Killing Of Endangered Turtle

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has honoured a Lagos traditional ruler for preventing the killing of an endangered sea turtle, highlighting the growing importance of community action in protecting Nigeria’s threatened wildlife.

The Baale of Okun Igando, Ibeju-Lekki, Chief Semiu Waliu Jejelaiye, received a commendation award from NESREA, alongside the Green Fingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative, for their roles in rescuing a leatherback sea turtle that had been caught by fishermen and ensuring its safe return to its natural habitat.

Presenting the awards on Wednesday, NESREA director-general, Prof. Innocent Barikor, described the intervention as an example of environmental responsibility that other communities should emulate, particularly in coastal areas where fishing activities can endanger marine wildlife.

Barikor said the agency would use Okun Igando as a focal point for campaigns to raise awareness about endangered species and encourage residents to take an active role in conservation efforts.

“We are here to honour you and your community for this act and to tell you that we will use this community as a point of action in advocacy on endangered species,” he said.

According to NESREA, Jejelaiye mobilised community members to protect the turtle from being killed, secured the animal while assistance was being sought and notified the appropriate environmental authorities to ensure its proper handling and release.

The agency also commended Green Fingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative for its prompt response, technical expertise and humane treatment of the animal, as well as its efforts to educate communities on wildlife protection.

The recognition comes amid concerns over threats to vulnerable wildlife and the need for stronger public participation in biodiversity conservation. NESREA stressed that protecting endangered animals requires cooperation between government agencies, traditional institutions, conservation organisations and local communities.

The leatherback turtle, the largest living sea turtle species, enjoys protection under Nigeria’s National Environmental (Protection of Endangered Species in Domestic and International Trade) Regulations. It is also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which subjects international commercial trade in listed species to strict restrictions.

Barikor warned that the loss of animal species could upset ecological balance and trigger wider environmental consequences, urging Nigerians to treat wildlife protection as a shared responsibility rather than the exclusive duty of government agencies.

He said the awards were intended not only to recognise the recipients’ actions but also to inspire similar interventions elsewhere, particularly among communities whose livelihoods bring them into frequent contact with vulnerable marine animals.