Foreign cartels and local accomplices: Criminality and deforestation in the Nigerian forest belts

Abstract

Criminality and deforestation of forests’ zones are often associated with rural dwellers and local communities in agricultural research, neglecting the involvement and equipment of the inhabitants of this region by foreign machineries located within and outside the country. This study, from a green criminological perspective examined the dynamics of foreigners’ activities, deforestation, and criminality in Nigeria’s agrarian communities. It also highlighted the security lapses and manoeuvring strategies of suspects and arrested foreigners held in custody, in the Nigerian Criminal Justice System for violating forest laws. Data collected for the study was basically qualitative, among fifty-five (55) respondents in selected forest belts in South/South-western Nigeria. It was discovered that a strong network of syndicates, often foreigners with local accomplices capitalized on the prevailing economic recession and high level unemployment in the country to lure the young, and able-bodied men and women into criminal survival strategies, by equipping and exposing the local communities to search and indiscriminately fall precious economic trees that are not matured for international market consumption. These activities have often overwhelmed security personnel, while few foreigners caught; often find their ways out of the net of the Nigerian criminal justice system. The study concluded that there is the urgent need for security operatives to intensify their searchlights on illegal activities of foreigners in the Nigerian forest belts to curtail green crime.