Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State says negative impacts of Boko Haram insurgency which has been plaguing the North-Eastern part of the country, especially Borno State in the last one decade, has not only destroyed human beings and property, but has also caused a huge environmental degradation to the States involved.
Governor Zulum, who noted that negative environmental impacts of Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State and Sambisa forest, the battlefield of Boko Haram insurgents and Federal Government’s troops, were unquantifiable, advocated the revival of the Sambisa forest which was affected by the over one decade Boko Haram insurgency.
The governor, while speaking recently in New York at the UN’s High-Level Segment Roundtable on “Forest-based Solutions to the Triple Planetary Crises: A Focus on People, Science, Technology, and Finance”, noted that the shrinking of Lake Chad, which is a vital source of water and livelihood for millions of people in the region, has been a direct consequence of climate change, resulting from the incessant destruction of forests such as Sambisa.
Governor Zulum said, “Borno State has been significantly impacted by the crisis of insecurity caused by Boko Haram insurgency which has led to widespread displacement of communities, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of livelihoods.
“The conflict has also exacerbated environmental degradation, including deforestation and loss of biodiversity in our major forest (Sambisa Forest), further exacerbating the vulnerabilities of our region.
“The loss of forest cover has resulted in soil erosion, reduced water availability, loss of biodiversity and increased vulnerability to climate change impacts.”
According to the governor, deforestation in Borno State has been driven by a combination of factors, including population growth, agricultural expansion, unsustainable land use practices, need for energy and the impact of the conflict.
Governor Zulum however listed some initiatives, including rehabilitation and restoration; community engagements, monitoring and evaluation; and collaboration and partnership as measures to save the forest devastated by activities of terrorists.
