Nigeria, May 30 -- A bill for the protection of endangered wildlife species in Nigeria passed its third and final reading in the House of Representatives on Wednesday and is set to be sent to the Senate for concurrence.

The bill, dubbed "Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2024," among several other provisions, aims to enhance Nigeria's efforts to curb organised wildlife trafficking in the country.

It also includes stricter penalties for wildlife crime and provides investigators with more powers to probe financial transactions and conduct proper due diligence during their operations.

Commenting on the development, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment and sponsor of the bill, Terseer Ugbor, explained th...