A routine checkpoint stop by the Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) resulted in the interception of a wildlife trafficking operation involving a lion cub and two patas monkeys. The seizure occurred in the early hours of Sunday, November 16, 2025, on the Badagry–Seme Expressway as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal trade.
Command spokesperson CSC Isah Suleiman reported that a blue Mazda vehicle, registration number MUS 743 HA, was halted by customs operatives at Gbaji around 2:19 a.m. A subsequent search uncovered ‘One (1) Lion Cub and Two (2) Patas Monkeys being transported in the vehicle in clear violation of national and international wildlife protection laws,’ Suleiman stated.
Authorities detained Mathew Kofi, a Beninese national, and Nasiru Usman Gwandu, a Nigerian, who both claimed ownership of the animals. The men confessed they bought the wildlife in Kano and were attempting to move them across the border into the Benin Republic
In compliance with Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the endangered species were confiscated. The suspects were subsequently detained for a thorough investigation to ascertain their involvement in the illicit wildlife trade. The animals were formally handed over to the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative for proper care and handling. The handover was executed by Deputy Comptroller AY Mohammed, acting under the directive of Customs Area Controller, Seme Command, Comptroller Wale Adenuga. In a strong message against wildlife crime, Comptroller Adenuga stressed the threat it poses to both national security and the environment. He committed the Command to continued vigilance and inter-agency collaboration to suppress trafficking, promising to protect Nigeria’s biodiversity and uphold its CITES obligations.
