Gumti National Park in Taraba State, once plagued by crime, has seen a significant decline in armed banditry, kidnapping, and other illegal activities due to a strategic partnership with Africa Nature Investors (ANI).
This collaboration, as observed by our correspondent, has drastically improved security and safety in the park, which is located in Gashaka local government council and is twice the size of Lagos State.
In a recent interview with our correspondent, residents of the host communities attributed the dramatic decrease in crime to the ongoing collaboration between ANI and the National Park Service (NPS).
The community leaders praised ANI for its efforts in training and empowering park rangers, whom, they said, have been instrumental in combating crime in the area.
Yusuf Sadiq, a local community leader, stated, “The criminals who used to make life difficult for us have all been chased out of the park by the rangers, who were trained by the foundation. We can now sleep with both eyes closed since ANI arrived in Gashaka.”
Sadiq acknowledged that many community members had previously fallen victim to kidnappings and even murder by bandits.
The situation, according to him, has significantly improved with ANI’s intervention, which not only helped train the rangers but also equipped them with the skills needed to confront bandits and other threats.
“Before ANI’s arrival, the park was notorious for daily incidents of kidnapping, illegal grazing, and deforestation,” Sadiq added.
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Joseph Ntui, the Park’s Conservator, noted, “ANI has not only reduced our workloads but has also assisted in training our rangers and equipping them with the necessary tools to confront those undesirable elements that previously used the park as their hideout.”
David Peter, ANI’s Community Liaison Manager, highlighted the technical and financial support ANI provides to the NPS, saying, “The collaboration has led to a massive reduction in criminal activities in the park.”
Peter called for greater involvement from the state government to sustain these positive changes, emphasizing that “government collaboration is key, and we urge them to complement the efforts of the park management.”
The improved security and environmental restoration efforts in the park, have no doubt enhanced the safety and well-being of the host communities and fostered a stronger relationship between ANI, the NPS, and local residents.
