The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), has intercepted 22 elephant tusks valued at N126.4 million and arrested four suspected wildlife traffickers in a coordinated operation spanning Ogun and Lagos states.
The operation, carried out by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Lagos, also led to the seizure of a vehicle believed to have been used in the illicit trade.
According to Customs, the seizure followed weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and investigations into an organised wildlife trafficking syndicate operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.
The suspects were apprehended at about 4:30 p.m. on June 13, 2026, during simultaneous operations conducted at Ofada in Mowe, Ogun State, and other locations in Lagos State.
The 22 elephant tusks weighed a combined 130.84 kilogrammes and have an estimated black market value of N126.39 million in Asia, Customs said.
The Comptroller of FOU Zone A, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, described the operation as a significant breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to combat wildlife crime, preserve biodiversity and enforce both national and international conservation laws.
He said the seizure demonstrated the unit’s commitment to implementing the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory, as well as Section 55(1)(i) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which prohibits illegal trade in endangered species.
“This seizure underscores our unwavering commitment to dismantling transnational wildlife trafficking networks and ensuring that Nigeria is not exploited as a transit hub for illegal wildlife trade,” Aliyu said.
He commended NESREA and the Wildlife Justice Commission for their strategic support, describing their contributions as critical to the success of the operation.
Aliyu urged stakeholders to sustain collaborative efforts to curb the activities of criminal syndicates exploiting Nigeria’s strategic location for illicit trade.
He also appealed to members of the public to support law enforcement agencies by reporting suspicious shipments, activities or individuals linked to wildlife trafficking.
According to him, the recovered elephant tusks and the suspects remain in custody pending further investigation and prosecution.
The latest interception adds to ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities and international partners to strengthen enforcement against illegal wildlife trafficking, a multi-billion-dollar global criminal enterprise that continues to threaten endangered species and biodiversity worldwide.
