Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, has arrested four men and seized 22 elephant tusks valued at N126.3 million in a cross-state anti-wildlife trafficking operation. The tusks, weighing 130.84 kilograms, were intercepted at about 4:30 p.m. on June 13, 2026, in Ofada, Mowe, Ogun State, while additional arrests occurred simultaneously in Lagos. A vehicle allegedly used in the smuggling was also recovered.
The operation was carried out by officers from the Federal Operations Unit and the Customs Special Intervention Squad, supported by the Customs Intelligence Unit, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC). Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, who confirmed the details in a statement issued Monday in Lagos by Chief Superintendent of Customs Hussaini Abdullahi, described the seizure as a major breakthrough in combating transnational environmental crime.
Aliyu said the tusks have an estimated black-market value in Asian markets equivalent to N126.3 million and are now secured as evidence. The suspects, all male, remain in custody pending prosecution under Nigerian and international laws. He cited Section 55(1)(i) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which bans illegal trade in endangered species, as the legal basis for the enforcement. Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and Aliyu stated the operation reflects ongoing efforts to uphold such commitments.
He credited coordinated intelligence, surveillance, and inter-agency collaboration for the success and commended NESREA and WJC for their role. The public has been urged to report suspicious wildlife-related activities. Aliyu reaffirmed the service's commitment to preventing Nigeria from being used as a transit route for illegal wildlife trade.
Gambo Aliyu claims the customs service is disrupting wildlife trafficking, yet the smuggling of 22 tusks worth N126.3 million suggests existing enforcement gaps. The seizure in Ogun and arrests in Lagos expose how trafficking networks move freely across state lines. If the operation relied on intelligence, it raises questions about why the network was not detected earlier. Nigerians in Ogun and Lagos remain surrounded by criminal activity that moves openly despite supposed surveillance.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Full disclaimer →
