The Federal Government has seized over 2 metric tons of pangolin scales in a recent operation, marking another effort to curb the country’s thriving transnational wildlife trade. The seizure was made possible by intelligence provided by the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), an international NGO combating organized wildlife crime.
Acting on the tip, the Kano-Jigawa command of the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) raided two warehouses in Mubi, Adamawa state, where the scales were being stockpiled for export. One suspect, believed to be a broker, was arrested during the operation.
The WJC estimates that the 2,179 kilograms of scales seized likely originated from around 1,100 pangolins poached across the continent. Olivia Swaak-Goldman, executive director of the WJC, noted that the seizure is estimated to be worth tens of thousands of dollars on the black market in Nigeria, making it a highly valuable shipment for traffickers.
“This seizure is estimated to be worth tens of thousands of dollars on the black market in Nigeria, making this shipment highly valuable to traffickers,” Swaak-Goldman said.
The scales were likely intended for Asian markets and linked to Lagos-based trafficking networks, according to Swaak-Goldman. The WJC has been partnering with the NCS since 2021 to combat wildlife trafficking and dismantle criminal networks in Nigeria, which has become a transit hub for pangolin trafficking.
Mark Ofua from WildAfrica, a Nigeria and South Africa-based organization, praised the operation, saying, “It’s amazing news… It tells us that the government is up and about its work and its function is no longer lip service.”
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