The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disrupted an international wildlife trafficking operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, rescuing two live lion cubs allegedly being smuggled out of Nigeria.
Three suspects, including the alleged owner of the animals, the driver of the vehicle used in the operation and a Customs clearing agent, were arrested during the intelligence-led operation carried out on August 4, 2026.
The operation was conducted by the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), in collaboration with the FCT CIU, Customs Police Unit, FCT Command and conservation partner, Focused Conservation.
Anuhu Mani, officer-in-charge of the Special Wildlife Office, disclosed the development in a statement issued on August 10, saying the suspects were allegedly moving the cubs from Kano through Abuja, with Congo-Brazzaville as their intended destination.
According to him, Customs operatives, acting on actionable intelligence, mounted surveillance around the airport’s Cargo Terminal and identified a black SUV suspected to be connected with the movement of the animals.
The operation took a decisive turn when a CIU operative conducting a physical inspection of the vehicle heard animal cries from the rear compartment.
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A subsequent search led to the discovery of the two lion cubs concealed inside crates in the luggage area of the vehicle.
Mani said the three suspects were immediately taken into custody and were being interrogated to establish the wider network allegedly behind the trafficking operation.
He said the seizure underscored the Service’s determination to prevent Nigeria from becoming a transit route for international wildlife trafficking networks.
“This operation sends an unmistakable message that Nigeria will not serve as a transit hub or safe haven for wildlife trafficking syndicates,” Mani said.
He added that the rescue was particularly significant given the declining population of wild lions in Nigeria.
“With fewer lions remaining in Nigeria’s wild, saving these cubs is not just an enforcement success, it is a critical conservation victory,” he said.
Mani said the Special Wildlife Office would continue to use intelligence gathering, profiling of trade routes and enforcement measures to identify and prosecute individuals involved in the illegal trade in endangered species.
The alleged trafficking, he said, contravened national and international wildlife protection frameworks, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Nigeria’s Endangered Species Act.
Following the interception, the two cubs were handed over to Greenfingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative for veterinary attention, rehabilitation and specialised care.
The development adds a new dimension to the Customs Service’s enforcement responsibilities as it increasingly targets environmental crimes alongside conventional smuggling and illicit trade.
The Service said the operation reflected its broader efforts under Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi to strengthen intelligence-led enforcement and disrupt organised criminal networks using Nigeria’s transport corridors.
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