Nigeria Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai on Tuesday, bagged an award as a fellow of the Wildlife Society of Nigeria.
The award, ‘Fellow Wildlife Society of Nigeria Honour Award’ was bestowed on the Army chief by the Wildlife Society of Nigeria during its annual conference at the Otunba Subomi Balogun Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
We gathered that the award was received on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Anthony Bamidele Omozoje, at the Wildlife Society of Nigeria annual conference 2019.
In an interview with Daily Trust in 2017, the Army Chief who rears reptiles said he had had strange encounters with snakes all his life. Buratai said: “Then sometime, when I was in Angola, on the last day I was to leave and come back, I almost stepped on a snake while jogging along the road and had to jump over it.
In addition to those ones, there were three or four other incidents with snakes.” He said some of the interesting moments he had with snakes motivated him to rear the reptiles and owning a snake farm “It was very interesting.
They had different species of snakes. So, I said, ‘It is a good idea and why can’t I gather all those ones I have been encountering and keep them?” Buratai had then queried.
A statement signed by Colonel Hassan Mohammed, the deputy director, Army Public Relations, 2 Division said the conference afforded intellectuals the opportunity to brainstorm on Wildlife Conservation best practice.
He said the conference themed: “Wildlife Management Contribution to the Diversifying Economy” showcased the need to balance between wildlife resources utilization and conservation for human sustenance.
He said the conference also hammered on the urgent need for increased funding and implementation of stronger forestry policy was also noted. Also, Omozoje representing Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai thanked the organizers of the conference for honouring the Army Chief with “the well deserved ‘ Fellow Wildlife Society of Nigeria Award’ for his contribution to wildlife conservation in Nigeria.”
