Nigeriaās anti-wildlife trafficking enforcement agencies have arrested a wanted suspect, Shamsideen Abubakar, who had been evading capture since 2021 over alleged involvement in a major international wildlife trafficking network.
Abubakar was apprehended in a coordinated operation involving the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).
Authorities described him as a key figure in a transnational syndicate linked to large-scale illegal trade in endangered wildlife products.
The suspect had been declared wanted by the Federal High Court and remained on the run for nearly five years following a major 2021 enforcement operation in Lagos that dismantled part of a trafficking ring. During that operation, two of his associates were arrested and security agencies seized 1,009.50 kilograms of pangolin scales one of the largest such interceptions recorded in Nigeria.
Officials say the latest arrest followed sustained intelligence gathering and coordinated investigations across agencies.
NESREA Director-General, Prof. Innocent Barikor, said the operation underscores Nigeriaās determination to shut down wildlife trafficking networks and ensure that offenders face prosecution. He added that the arrest sends a strong warning that the country will no longer serve as a safe haven for environmental crimes.
Barikor also urged the public to support enforcement efforts by reporting suspicious activities, saying the crackdown on illegal wildlife trafficking would continue nationwide.
Suspected wildlife trafficker arrested after five years of hiding
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