CITAD raises alarm over threat of climate change to trees, biodiversity in Kano
Kola Oyelere Kano
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has expressed deep concern over the growing threat that climate change poses to trees and plant species in Kano State, warning that unchecked environmental degradation could lead to the loss of vital biodiversity.
Speaking at a public lecture held in Kano, environmentalist Mr. Sani Muhammad Khamees said the state’s vegetation and biodiversity are under increasing pressure from climate change, habitat destruction, and unsustainable human activities.
The lecture, titled “Educational Awareness and the Protection of Threatened Trees and Plant Species in Kano State, Nigeria,” was part of CITAD’s continuous advocacy for community participation in environmental conservation.
Khamees emphasized that trees and plants are fundamental to ecological balance, human health, and environmental stability. He called for increased public education, research support, and stronger policy enforcement to prevent the extinction of endangered species.
“Raising public awareness about biodiversity and the risks facing endangered species is key to encouraging citizens’ participation in conservation,” he said. “Tree planting alone is not enough unless people develop a real sense of responsibility toward nature.”
He further advocated for comprehensive conservation strategies, including habitat protection, restoration, and management of invasive species, stressing that empowering local communities and reviving traditional conservation ethics are crucial to safeguarding rare and threatened plant species.
Khamees noted that CITAD would continue to monitor endangered plant species, assess habitat conditions, and evaluate conservation outcomes to guide future interventions.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ibrahim Lawal of Bayero University Kano’s Faculty of Life Sciences, commended CITAD for drawing attention to what he described as an issue that “touches the roots of our existence.”
“Protecting trees is protecting ourselves,” Prof. Lawal said, urging both government and citizens to see environmental protection as a shared duty. He called for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, and civil society organizations to produce data-driven solutions to environmental challenges.
Also speaking, CITAD’s Executive Director, Mr. Y. Z. Ya’u, underscored the role of trees in environmental sustainability, citing the controversy over the proposed relocation of the Kano Zoo as an example of public action preventing