Suspected wildlife trafficker arrested after five years of hiding

Nigeria’s anti-wildlife trafficking enforcement agencies person arrested a wanted suspect, Shamsideen Abubakar, who had been evading seizure since 2021 implicit alleged engagement successful a large planetary wildlife trafficking network.

Abubakar was apprehended successful a coordinated cognition involving the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).

Authorities described him arsenic a cardinal fig successful a transnational syndicate linked to large-scale amerciable commercialized successful endangered wildlife products.

The fishy had been declared wanted by the Federal High Court and remained connected the tally for astir 5 years pursuing a large 2021 enforcement cognition successful Lagos that dismantled portion of a trafficking ring. During that operation, 2 of his associates were arrested and information agencies seized 1,009.50 kilograms of pangolin scales 1 of the largest specified interceptions recorded successful Nigeria.

Officials accidental the latest apprehension followed sustained quality gathering and coordinated investigations crossed agencies.

NESREA Director-General, Prof. Innocent Barikor, said the cognition underscores Nigeria’s determination to unopen down wildlife trafficking networks and guarantee that offenders look prosecution. He add...