The Nigeria Customs Service has foiled an alleged wildlife trafficking operation in Kano and Jigawa, intercepting 48 endangered animals and arresting three suspects linked to the shipment.
The animals were seized on August 25, 2026, and included chimpanzees, gorillas, bush babies, wild cats, birds, albino crocodiles and a honey badger.
The Acting Customs Area Controller of the Kano/Jigawa Command, Deputy Controller of Customs Usman Adamu, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists at the Customs House, Bompai, Kano.
He said Customs officers recovered 15 primates, including chimpanzees, gorillas and bush babies, alongside civets and caracals.
The operation also led to the interception of 25 wild birds, including greater bustards and rock fowls. Two albino crocodiles and a honey badger were also found among the trafficked animals.
The three suspects arrested during the operation have since been transferred to the Special Wildlife Office at the NCS headquarters for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Adamu described the seizure as a major breakthrough against illegal wildlife trafficking, saying the number and variety of species recovered in one operation were unprecedented for the service.
“It is important to note that this is believed to be the largest and most diverse single seizure of wildlife ever recorded in the history of the Nigeria Customs Service and probably the West African sub-region,” he said.
He said the attempted trafficking demonstrated the scale of the illegal wildlife trade and posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s biodiversity.
According to him, the enforcement action was carried out in line with Nigeria’s international obligations on wildlife protection and Section 55(1)(i) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
The Customs official warned that the command would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement against individuals and networks involved in activities that violate the law.
He added that other enforcement operations carried out by the command from July 2026 had resulted in seizures and detentions with a combined Duty Paid Value exceeding N2 billion.
The command said the latest wildlife seizure underscored the need for continued action against traffickers whose activities threaten endangered species and Nigeria’s natural heritage.
