The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested a suspected wildlife trafficker and rescued a captive baby gorilla during a targeted raid conducted in Kofar Mata, Kano State.
NCS, in a statement posted on its official X handle on Thursday, said the raid conducted on 7 July was carried out by its Special Wildlife Office of the Customs Intelligence Unit in collaboration with Focused Conservation, the Customs Police Unit, and officers of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command.
According to an official report obtained on Thursday from the Officer-in-Charge of the NCS Special Wildlife Office, Assistant Comptroller of Customs (AC) Anuhu Mani, the operation successfully disrupted an illegal primate trafficking network.
Mr Mani said the rescued infant gorilla was immediately transferred to veterinary care, where it is currently receiving specialised medical attention and rehabilitation.
He explained that the breakthrough followed weeks of meticulous intelligence gathering and surveillance targeting syndicates involved in the illicit trade and supply of protected primates within the Kano axis.
He added that the success of the operation underscores the critical role of inter-agency collaboration and partnerships with international conservation organisations in combating trans-border wildlife crime.
“Investigations are actively ongoing as we follow all actionable leads generated from this operation. To preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation and ensure that fleeing members of the trafficking network do not evade justice, the NCS is withholding further operational details, including the identity of the suspect,” he said.
He reiterated the service’s zero-tolerance policy toward wildlife trafficking, reaffirming the NCS’s commitment to enforcing endangered species laws and protecting Nigeria’s natural heritage.
In recent years, Nigeria has been identified as a major transit hub for trafficked wildlife and wildlife parts.
In May 2025, a bill for the protection of endangered wildlife species in Nigeria passed its third and final reading in the House of Representatives and is set to be sent to the Senate for concurrence.
The bill, dubbed “Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2024,” among several other provisions, aims to enhance Nigeria’s efforts to curb organised wildlife trafficking in the country.
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It also includes stricter penalties for wildlife crime and provides investigators with more powers to probe financial transactions and conduct proper due diligence during their operations.
In May 2026, the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently sign the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2025 into law.
The foundation, in a statement issued on 23 May to celebrate the 2026 World Biodiversity Day, warned that Nigeria’s biodiversity was facing unprecedented threats.
The Director-General of the foundation, Joseph Onoja, said the proposed Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2025, was imperative and critical to strengthening Nigeria’s legal framework against wildlife crimes.
Mr Onoja said the bill would provide stronger legal backing to prosecute offenders, regulate wildlife trade and deter exploitation of threatened species.
