The Federal High Court, Ikoyi has convicted two suspects for unlawful possession of pangolin Scales and elephant scales.
The suspects John Kanu and Obinna Eze were arrested in February 2022 for unlawful possession of 839.4kg of Pangolin scales and 145kg of Elephant tusks by the Nigeria Customs Service.
They were arrested during a joint wildlife enforcement operation with Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).
The Convicts appeared before Justice Nicholas Oweibo at the Federal High Court Ikoyi and pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against them by the Nigeria Customs Service.
The duo were, however, sentenced to four years imprisonment for conspiracy and illicit possession of the said Pangolin scales as well as Elephant tusks.
Kanu and Eze were arraigned alongside Anthony Onyebuchi and Monday Nnamanni for similar offences.
“The end of illegal Wildlife trade and Wildlife trafficking in or within Nigeria has come, we will not allow Nigeria to be used as a transit, destination, or source country,” Customs Special Wildlife office noted.
The collaboration between the NCS and the WJC, aimed at targeting illegal wildlife trade and trafficking criminal networks operating from Asia to Africa has recorded notable success since its inception.
