Customs, Others Seizes Elephant Tusks Worth N126.4m, Arrests Four Suspects In Ogun State‎

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Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), have intercepted 22 pieces of Elephant tusks worth N126, 390,440.00 , 4 male suspects and a vehicle.

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‎According to the Customs FOU Zone A Public Relations Officer, Hussaini Abdullahi who disclosed this in a press release on 14th June, 2026, the operation which followed weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and investigation, led to the interception of the tusks and the arrest of the suspects at Ofada, Mowe in Ogun State, while additional targets were apprehended simultaneously in Lagos.

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‎Speaking on the development, the controller of FOU Zone A, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, described the seizure as a significant milestone in the fight against wildlife crime and a demonstration of 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.

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‎“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.

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‎He commended NESREA and the Wildlife Justice Commission for their strategic support, describing their contributions as critical to the success of the operation.

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‎Aliyu urged stakeholders to sustain collaborative efforts to curb the activities of criminal syndicates exploiting Nigeria’s strategic location for illicit trade.

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‎According to him, the recovered elephant tusks and the suspects remain in custody pending further investigation and prosecution.

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‎He also appealed to members of the public to support law enforcement agencies by reporting suspicious shipments, activities or individuals linked to wildlife trafficking.

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