Effect of Banditry on Management of Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria

Abstract

Banditry is fast becoming alarming in Nigeria to the extent that it poses serious challenges on wildlife management. This study therefore examined the effects of banditry on the management of Kainji Lake National Park. To obtain information, questionnaires were prepared to correspond with some basic ideas regarding banditry impacts. Randomization as strictly ensured in the distribution of fifty (50) questionnaires to the staff of Kainji Lake National Park. The result revealed that majority of the respondents are male (72.0%) with age group 35-44 years recorded the highest with 70.0%, followed by 25-34 years with 16.0 while age group 45 and above were the least with 14.0%.  Majority of the respondents were married (82.0%) and most of the respondents had tertiary education (58.0%). Also, majority (36.0%) had served the Park for 11-20 years. All the respondents are aware of banditry activities in the Park. The effects of banditry on wildlife conservation were change in some biodiversity species status and illegal hunting/fishing recorded the highest observation of 32.0% and 24.0% each, followed by illegal logging and habitat destruction with 18.0% and 14.0% while looting of Park infrastructure is the least with 12.0%. The strategies adopted to reduce the effects of banditry on wildlife conservation showed that joint military operation scores 34.0%, adequate field equipment like guns and vehicle (24.0%), formation of peace committees (18.0%), conflicts with the local communities are resolved fairly and efficiently (16.0%), boundary demarcation (6.0%) and adequate staff and financial resources (2.0%). The study concludes that the effects of banditry on wildlife conservation are had to estimate, yet there are some striking environmental effects.