APPRAISAL OF LAWS RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The human environment is interestingly multifaceted with an unimaginably large biotic and abiotic system. Actors of this ecosystem are sometimes biologically interdependent. Aquatic animals on their own cannot exist without natural water bodies, such biological relationship becomes imperative for the continuous survival of the resources of aquatic habitats and benefit of man, as water is a key component of human life and photosynthetic circle. The environment also constitutes vast minerals or attributes exploitable by man, amongst a host of them is petrochemical resources which in a way is the focus of this paper, especially the dangers it poses on the environment during exploration. There has been a crackdown on the seamless process of the ecosystem impacted by petrochemical, caused by oil spill, gas flaring leading to pollution. This has consequently affected sustenance of human life. This paper decries the stark feebleness of legislative machineries in curbing the negative effect of environmental degradation in Nigeria. Sadly, after carefully examining existing literature on this subject, there was an urgent need to call for the reformation of Nigeria's eco-jurisprudence as extant laws are ineffective with meager fines, inadequate sanctions, unreasonable exemptions on gas flaring, and dearth in citizen's suit among others. In addressing the shortcomings found in the laws, the study employed doctrinal method of literature review, and generated data through local statutes, case laws, policy documents, internet sourced materials, textbooks, journal articles, seminar papers, and Newspapers. The work aims to put our eco-jurisprudence on a pedestal to effectively remediate environmental scourge and restore policies geared towards environmental sustainability and promote an eco-friendly space in Nigeria. It is firmly recommended that in other to achieve international best standards and make our laws weaved as that of counterpart nations across Africa and the world, the Nigerian constitution particularly Section 20 be amended to explicitly guarantee the right to a clean environment and Chapter IV to allow for citizens suit against erring multinational companies or complicit government agencies, adequate punishment for environmental offences and diversification of the Nigerian economy to reduce over-dependence on crude oil exportation.