Fugitive Wildlife Trafficker Arrested After Five Years on the Run

A fugitive wildlife trafficker previously declared wanted by the Federal High Court in Lagos has been apprehended.

The suspect was arrested in a joint enforcement operation involving the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).

The alleged trafficker, identified as a key figure in an international wildlife trafficking network, was said to have been on the run since September 2021.

His evasion, according to a statement by the NESREA, followed a coordinated operation by the WJC and NCS that led to the arrest of his associates as well as the seizure of 1,009.50 kilograms of pangolin scales in the Ikeja area of Lagos.

Officials described the arrest as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s fight against wildlife crime, coming nearly five years after his involvement in large-scale trafficking and almost two years after he was officially declared wanted by the court.

“Shamsideen Abubakar’s arrest, five years after his involvement in large-scale wildlife trafficking and almost two years being officially declared wanted by the Federal High Court, demonstrates the commitment of Nigeria’s law enforcement and NGO partners like the Wildlife Justice Commission to conduct long-term investigations with a multi-dimensional operational approach,” the statement, signed by an assistant director (press), Nwamaka Ejiofor, partly read.

It added that the operation underscores Nigeria’s resolve to dismantle transnational criminal networks:

“This arrest also demonstrates the determination of the Nigerian Government and its partners to rid the country of illegal wildlife traffickers, and reinforces the country’s zero-tolerance for crimes that threaten biodiversity and undermine national and international laws,” it added.

According to the agency, the arrest is expected to further weaken already disrupted trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria, while also sending a strong deterrent message to other offenders.

Reacting to the development, the Director General of NESREA, Innocent Barikor, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to tackling environmental crimes.

“NESREA is determined to ensure that Nigeria is not a safe haven for wildlife crime, as the Agency and her partners will pursue, arrest, and prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law. We remain resolute on this, and will ensure that every seizure, every arrest, and every conviction is pursued with unrelenting commitment until this illicit trade is eradicated from our shores,” Barikor was quoted as saying.

“The success we have achieved today is the result of strategic partnership, intelligence sharing, and joint enforcement operation. We salute our partners and other sister agencies while we call on the public to report suspicious activities, and urge intending traffickers to desist because the era of impunity is over,” the DG added.