Nigeria agencies bust wildlife traffickers and seize smuggled vegetable oil

A joint operation by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Nigeria Customs Service and the Wildlife Justice Commission arrested four suspects and seized 130.84 kg of elephant tusks (22 pieces) in Lagos and Ogun States. NESREA director‑general Prof. Innocent Barikor called the arrests a breakthrough in the country’s fight against wildlife crime and reiterated Nigeria’s zero‑tolerance stance on trafficking protected species.

In a separate anti‑smuggling raid, the Nigeria Customs Service’s Federal Operations Unit in Owerri confiscated 3,310 jerry cans of foreign vegetable oil, including 25‑litre and 10‑litre containers of the brand “Super Delicious” and cartons of sunflower oil. The service described the seizure as a major setback for smugglers who undermine local manufacturing, employment and foreign‑exchange earnings, and said the goods remain in custody pending investigation and legal action.