The Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted four live pangolins during a targeted patrol along the Ajilete creeks in Ogun State.
The interception occurred at about 6:33 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2026, when Customs operatives, acting on credible intelligence, stopped a wooden boat along Alapa Creek, Ajilete. The patrol team discovered the endangered animals confined in wire mesh cages, indicating an organised smuggling operation.
According to the Service, the suspects abandoned the boat and fled into the creeks upon sighting Customs officers, leaving the pangolins behind.
To ensure their safety and wellbeing, the seized animals were handed over to the Wildlife Conservation Centre on Friday, January 16, 2026. The handover was carried out by the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Enforcement, DC A.O. Oguntuase, on behalf of the Comptroller of FOU Zone A, Gambo Aliyu.
Comptroller Aliyu commended the officers for their courage and professionalism during the night operation, urging personnel to remain vigilant in the fight against trans-border crimes.
He reaffirmed the Unit’s commitment to enforcing wildlife protection laws and strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to curb the illegal trade in endangered species.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, also praised the operatives for the successful interception, noting that the operation underscores the Service’s zero-tolerance stance against activities that undermine Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and threaten economic stability.
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