CUSTOMS ARRESTS SUSPECTED WILDLIFE TRAFFICKER, RESCUES BABY GORILLA IN KANO
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Nigeria Customs Service has arrested a suspected wildlife trafficker and rescued a captive baby gorilla during a raid in Kofar Mata, Kano State, in what the agency described as a major breakthrough against an illegal primate trafficking network.
The operation was carried out on July 7 by the NCS Special Wildlife Office of the Customs Intelligence Unit in collaboration with Focused Conservation, the Customs Police Unit and officers of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
This was disclosed in a statement shared by the Service on its official social media platforms on Thursday.
Quoting the Officer-in-Charge of the NCS Special Wildlife Office, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Anuhu Mani, the statement said the rescued infant gorilla had been transferred to veterinary specialists for medical treatment and rehabilitation.
“The rescued infant gorilla had been transferred to veterinary care and is receiving specialised medical attention and rehabilitation,” Mani said.
He explained that the operation targeted criminal syndicates involved in the illegal trafficking and supply of protected primates within the Kano axis, noting that the successful raid underscored the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations and inter-agency collaboration.
“Investigations are actively ongoing as we follow all actionable leads generated from this operation,” he said.
The Customs Service, however, declined to disclose the identity of the arrested suspect or other operational details, saying doing so could jeopardise ongoing investigations and enable other members of the trafficking network to evade arrest.
“To preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation and ensure that fleeing members of the trafficking network do not evade justice, the NCS is withholding further operational details, including the identity of the suspect,” Mani added.
He reaffirmed the Service’s zero-tolerance stance on wildlife trafficking, stressing that the NCS remains committed to enforcing laws protecting endangered species and safeguarding Nigeria’s biodiversity.
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