Customs intercepts six pangolins in Oyo State
Four of the animals were alive and handed to wildlife officials; two died after arrival.
The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted six endangered pangolins at Eruwa-Oni in Oyo State, as part of efforts to curb illegal wildlife trafficking.
Officers of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Lagos, made the interception at about 3am on Sunday, November 8, 2026, during an intelligence-led patrol. The handlers abandoned the animals and ran when they saw the patrol team.
All six pangolins were recovered alive and taken to the unit's headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, but two died on arrival and four survived. The four live animals and the two carcasses were handed over to wildlife officials for documentation and further action. Deputy Comptroller Enforcement A.O. Oguntuase carried out the handover on behalf of the unit's Comptroller.
The unit said the seizure reflects the service's commitment to combating illegal exploitation and trafficking of protected wildlife and to biodiversity conservation. It called protection of endangered species a shared responsibility and asked the public to give credible and timely information that can help identify and arrest people involved in the illegal capture, possession, transport and trafficking of protected animals.
It added that it will keep working to suppress smuggling and other illicit trade, and to work with other agencies to protect the country's natural heritage.
The seizure is the latest in a run of wildlife interceptions by the same unit. On October 23, 2026, officers of FOU Zone A intercepted five live pangolins in wire-mesh cages along the Igbo-Ora and Imeko-Afon axis of Ogun State at about 1:18am, according to Vanguard and Leadership. The suspected traffickers fled on sighting the patrol, and the animals were handed to the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative Centre for safekeeping, rehabilitation and eventual release into a protected habitat. Customs said it had made another wildlife seizure within about seven days of that one.
Deputy Comptroller Oluwaseun Oguntuase said then that the repeated interceptions showed the need for extensive investigation to identify and break up the syndicates behind the illegal movement of endangered species. He said the service is committed to enforcing Nigeria's obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Act. Pangolins are listed under Appendix I of CITES, which prohibits international commercial trade in them.
SOURCE: Leadership
