| dc.description.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. | en |
