Banditry: Group Wants Federal Govt To Manage Falgore Forest

Kano State government has been urged to handover Falgore Forest to the federal government as a means of safeguarding the environment and blocking bandits from penetrating the region.

The call was made by the national president of the Friends of the Zoo, Abdullahi Baba Yahaya, at this year’s celebration of the International Forest and Wildlife Day in Kano yesterday.

He told journalists that Wildlife Rangers have the capacity to protect the forest from being infiltrated by bandits and also stop tree felling to preserve the environment.

Yahaya said, “Because if you allow your forest to remain unkept, these bandits will turn it into their hideouts. But once it is given to federal agencies, they will mount security patrol 24 hours, they will create environment that is habitual for viewers and visitors will like to go there, pay money and go round to see the animals. Thereby the state will make money and security will enhance.

“Unlike the one we have in Falgore, it controls soil degradation. The water we have today in Tiga Dam comes all the way from Plateau State, from a river called River Dilimi in Plateau State.

“By allowing the forest to rot away, the soil is degrading and one day it will not hold water. Once there is no water around that area, there will be no water going into Riga Dam and we will lose. By the time Riga dries up, we can no longer do the irrigation we are proud of today in Kura, Bunkure and other places in Kano State.

“That is why we are urging the state government to quickly give this place to the FGN so that what the bandits are doing in Birningwari, Zamfara and some parts of Kebbi cannot come here. Because once the Wildlife Rangers are there, they are fully licenced and armed unit of the National Park, they will always protect the place, and there will be no room for banditry in Kano State,” the president stated.

As part of the highlights of the event, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was made the life patron of the Friends of the Zoo in recognition of his contribution to the sector over the years.

A wildlife and environmental sheriffs were created to support the National Wildlife Rangers as well as the security operatives in providing protection for the wildlife and the environment.