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Wildlife Protection: Customs Repatriates Trafficked Baby Gorilla to Congo, Records 22 Seizures and 699 Rescues in Nine Months
By Prince Benson Davies
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, through its Special Wildlife Office, SWO, under the Customs Intelligence Unit, CIU, has successfully repatriated Bili, a rescued female baby gorilla, from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to the Republic of Congo.
The exercise, which took place from 22nd to 28th September 2026, marks the Service’s first international full-cycle wildlife operation covering interception, rescue, rehabilitation and safe return of a trafficked animal to the Réserve Naturelle de Tchimpounga, Département du Kouilou, Pointe-Noire, in the Republic of Congo.
It will be recalled that Bili was rescued in August 2023 by officers of the Service during enforcement operations against wildlife trafficking and subsequently placed under the care of the Pandrillus Foundation in Calabar for rehabilitation. Following a DNA test which confirmed that Bili originated from the Republic of Congo, officials arranged her movement from Calabar to Lagos and thereafter airlifted her to Congo by DHL at no cost, accompanied by a caregiver and a veterinary doctor.
The repatriation was carried out in line with the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES, and was supported by the CITES Management Authority under the Federal Ministry of Environment. The gorilla, Bili, is listed under Appendix I of CITES and is therefore afforded the highest level of protection as a species threatened with extinction.
As a signatory to CITES, Nigeria continues to demonstrate commitment to the protection of endangered species and responsible enforcement of international wildlife protection obligations. Through the SWO, the Service remains committed to strengthening its enforcement capabilities to disrupt wildlife trafficking networks and building partnerships that ensure rescued animals receive proper care and are safely returned to their appropriate destinations and natural habitats. Bili’s repatriation therefore represents the culmination of interception, rescue, rehabilitation and international cooperation in protecting endangered wildlife.
The repatriation comes amid intensified enforcement against illegal wildlife trade. Between January and September 2026, the SWO and Customs Area Commands recorded 22 wildlife seizures, rescued 699 live animals and arrested 11 suspects. The seizures included 220 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, 48 elephant tusks and 219.05 kilogrammes of worked ivory, alongside various live endangered and protected species intercepted across different locations.
Enforcement operations during the period covered seizures and rescues in Ogun, Kano, Borno/Yobe, Calabar, Taraba, Kaduna and Lagos, among other locations.
Notable interventions included the rescue of pangolins, primates, lion cubs, hyenas, crowned cranes, tortoises, gorillas and chimpanzees, as well as the interception of 440 African mud turtles and 90 ostrich chicks in September. The operations also led to arrests linked to wildlife trafficking, further demonstrating the Service’s sustained efforts to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade.
The Service under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and his management team, acknowledged the invaluable support of the Pandrillus Foundation, DHL, Focused Conservation, the Aspinall Wildlife Trust, the CITES Desk of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Government of the Republic of Congo for welcoming Bili home.
The Service reaffirmed that it is not only focused on revenue generation but also on national security and protection of the environment, and urged members of the public to report any information on illegal wildlife trade to the nearest Customs formation.
