The Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, has warned that indiscriminate mining and deforestation are threatening Nigeria’s ecological and human security.
The renowned environmentalist spoke while delivering his welcome address at the ongoing 3rd Nigeria Socio-Ecological Alternatives Convergence (NSAC) in Abuja.
The theme of the convergence focused on “Deforestation, Mining and the Crisis of Human Security in Nigeria.”
According to Bassey,Nigeria’s environmental challenges stem from an extractive development model that prioritises profit over people, forests, rivers and communities.
He said that ecological crises are fundamentally failures of governance and values, stressing that environmental recovery begins by halting destructive activities.
Bassey cautioned against celebrating new mineral discoveries without first addressing environmental governance and obtaining the consent of affected communities.
He referenced recent discoveries of strategic minerals in Kaduna State, warning Nigeria not to repeat the mistakes made during nearly seven decades of oil exploitation in the Niger Delta.
He questioned whether host communities would again bear environmental costs while others reap economic benefits from mineral extraction.
Bassey expressed concern over Nigeria’s rapid deforestation, saying between 250,000 and 300,000 hectares of forests disappear annually.
He warned that, at the current rate, Nigeria’s forests could vanish by 2052, leaving the country more vulnerable to climate change and biodiversity loss.
The environmentalist also criticised carbon credit projects that, he said, displace local communities under the guise of climate action and forest restoration.
He cited large forest allocations in Delta and Niger states for carbon trading initiatives, describing them as examples of “carbon colonialism.”
Bassey argued that communities often lose access to forests they have depended on for generations, while becoming mere custodians of commercial conservation projects.
He warned that poorly regulated mining has polluted rivers, destroyed farmlands and displaced communities across Nigeria’s mineral-rich regions.
According to him, the global demand for critical minerals must not become another justification for colonial-style extractivism under the banner of green energy.
Bassey maintained that true human security cannot be achieved through militarisation but by protecting forests, rivers, fertile soils and other life-supporting ecosystems.
He noted that environmental degradation fuels displacement, conflicts and insecurity, while abandoned forests increasingly become hideouts for bandits and terrorists.
He advocated stronger environmental governance, respect for indigenous knowledge and community ownership of forests as the most effective conservation strategy.
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Bassey said communities have traditionally protected forests because they provide food, medicine, culture, spirituality and livelihoods.
He called on governments to strengthen forestry services and promote indigenous forest regeneration and community-driven agroforestry initiatives.
The environmental advocate urged participants to use the convergence to build alliances and advance practical alternatives that prioritise ecological integrity, justice and intergenerational responsibility.
“The time to change course is now,” Bassey declared.
