Fugitive wildlife trafficker captured after five years on the run…

A fugitive wildlife trafficker declared wanted by the Federal High Court in Lagos has been arrested after five years on the run, in a joint operation by the National Environmental Standards and Regulators Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Wildlife Justice Commission.

Shamsideen Abubakar, described as a key figure in an international trafficking ring, was arrested after an intelligence-led follow-up, NESREA said on Tuesday. He had been evading arrest since September 2021.

Abubakar fled after a 2021 raid in Ikeja by the WJC and NCS that seized over 1,000kg of pangolin scales and led to the arrest of his associates, Sunday Ebenyi and Salif Sandwidi. The haul was one of Nigeria’s largest, highlighting the scale of the illegal wildlife trade linked to the country.

NESREA Director General Prof. Innocent Barikor said the arrest shows that Nigeria “will not serve as a safe haven for traffickers.” He said violators will be prosecuted and prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law.”

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Barikor credited interagency collaboration, intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement for the breakthrough. He urged the public to report suspicious activity, warning that “the era of impunity for wildlife crime is over”.

Authorities said the arrest deals a blow to already weakened trafficking networks and shows that warrants will be enforced regardless of how long suspects stay.

Nigeria has stepped up measures against wildlife trafficking in recent years, citing threats to biodiversity and violations of national and international law. Officials said the case reinforces the country’s zero-tolerance stance on trade in endangered species.

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