Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested four suspected wildlife traffickers and seized 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84 kilogrammes during a joint operation in Lagos and Ogun states.
Gatekeepers News reports that the tusks are estimated to be worth about N126.3 million on the international black market.
According to Customs, the operation was carried out on June 13 through a coordinated intelligence-driven effort involving Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).
The elephant tusks were intercepted in the Ofada-Mowe area of Ogun State, while other members of the suspected trafficking network were arrested simultaneously at different locations in Lagos. A vehicle allegedly used in the illegal trade was also seized.
Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, Controller of Customs FOU Zone A, described the seizure as a major breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to combat wildlife crime and enforce laws protecting endangered species. He said the operation demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to preventing the country from being used as a transit route for illegal wildlife trafficking.
Aliyu noted that the trafficking of elephant tusks violates both international and domestic laws, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory, and provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
NESREA Director-General, Prof. Innocent Barikor, also hailed the arrests as evidence of Nigeria’s zero-tolerance stance on wildlife crimes. He stressed that elephants are among the world’s most protected species due to the threat of extinction and warned that authorities would continue pursuing criminal networks involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
The suspects and the seized tusks remain in custody as investigations continue, with authorities seeking to identify and apprehend other members of the trafficking syndicate.
