– Nigeria intensifies crackdown on illegal pangolin scale trade
– Significant wildlife trafficking bust in Kebbi State, Nigeria
– Government actions against endangered species trafficking in Nigeria
In a significant operation against illegal wildlife trade, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted 445.45 kilograms of pangolin scales valued at approximately N3.955 billion. The seizure occurred on May 24, 2024, when operatives, acting on intelligence, raided a location known as a “slaughterhouse” in Zuru Town, Kebbi State. One suspect was apprehended during the operation, while the primary suspect remains at large.
Pangolins are among the world’s most trafficked mammals, primarily due to the high demand for their scales in traditional medicine practices. Nigeria has become a central hub for the trafficking of pangolin scales and other wildlife products to Asian markets. In response to this crisis, the Nigerian government has intensified efforts to combat wildlife trafficking. Notably, in October 2023, authorities publicly incinerated nearly four tonnes of seized pangolin scales, leopard, python, and crocodile skins, marking the country’s first public destruction of confiscated wildlife products as a statement against trafficking.
