The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), has apprehended Shamsideen Abubakar, a notorious wildlife trafficker who had been on the run for five years. Abubakar was previously declared wanted by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Background of the Case
Abubakar, identified as a key figure in an illegal wildlife trafficking network, had been evading arrest since September 2021. His capture follows a coordinated operation by the WJC and NCS that led to the arrest of his associates, Sunday Ebenyi and Salif Sandwidi. During that earlier raid, authorities seized 1,009.50 kilograms of pangolin scales in the Ikeja area of Lagos.
Official Statement
Speaking on the arrest, the Director General and CEO of NESREA, Professor Innocent Barikor, stated: “We are determined to ensure that Nigeria is not a safe haven for wildlife crime. The Agency and her partners will pursue, arrest, and prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law.”
Professor Barikor emphasized that Abubakar’s arrest, five years after his involvement in large-scale wildlife trafficking and nearly two years after being officially declared wanted by the Federal High Court, demonstrates the commitment of Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies and NGO partners like the Wildlife Justice Commission to conduct long-term investigations using a multi-dimensional operational approach.
The Director General further explained that this operation underscores the determination of the Nigerian Government and its partners to rid the country of illegal wildlife traffickers. It reinforces Nigeria’s zero-tolerance policy for crimes that threaten biodiversity and undermine national and international laws.
“This further disrupts the already significantly weakened criminal networks in Nigeria, including those connected to other countries. The arrest sends a strong signal to Nigeria’s illegal wildlife trafficking network that arrest warrants will be strongly pursued. We remain resolute on this, and will ensure that every seizure, every arrest, and every conviction is pursued with unrelenting commitment until this illicit trade is eradicated from our shores,” Barikor added.
He concluded: “This success we have achieved today is the result of strategic partnership, intelligence sharing, and joint enforcement operation. We salute our partners and other sister agencies while we call on the public to report suspicious activities, and we warn intending traffickers to desist because the era of impunity is over.”
