Four suspects in custody after N126m elephant tusks seizure

The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency and the Wildlife Justice Commission, has intercepted 22 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 130.84 kilograms with a street value of N126.3m.

Announcing this in a statement on Monday obtained by PUNCH Metro, the Public Relations Officer of the FOU Zone A, Hussaini Abdullahi, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, added that four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.

He stressed that the items were seized over the weekend at “Ofada, Mowe, Ogun State, and other areas within Lagos, simultaneously.”

Abdullahi explained that the interception was made possible through well-coordinated intelligence gathering, surveillance, and investigation into an organised wildlife trafficking syndicate operating within and beyond “our borders, led by the FOU Zone A and the SIS A team of our Customs Intelligence Unit, with the support of the aforementioned strategic partners.”

“The agencies recorded a breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to combat wildlife crime and protect endangered species with the interception of 22 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg, four male suspects, and a vehicle. The seized elephant tusks in Asia have a black market value equivalent to N126.3m,” Abdullahi said.

According to him, both the recovered specimen and the suspects are in custody pending further investigation and prosecution.

The Customs Area Controller in charge of FOU Zone A, Gambo Aliyu, described the seizure as a clear demonstration of the unit’s commitment to enforcing national and international wildlife protection laws as contained in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which Nigeria is a signatory.

“Section 55 (1) para 1 (i) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 prohibits the illegal trade in endangered species. This seizure also underscores ongoing enforcement efforts to stop illegal wildlife trade and protect biodiversity,” Aliyu said.

He commended various stakeholders, especially the NESREA and WJC, for their invaluable contribution, stressing that without them, the feat would not have been achieved.

Aliyu urged them to sustain the tempo to stop the activities of criminal elements who exploit Nigeria as a transit route for their nefarious activities.

He appealed to the public to assist the service by reporting suspicious shipments, activities, or anyone with information relating to wildlife trafficking syndicates to come forward, “as the NCS will not hesitate to take enforcement action against those found to be in violation of the law.”