Inside Nigeria's Shocking Wildlife Crimes and How Culprits Escape

Nigeria has for years failed to hold wildlife traffickers and poachers accountable for their crimes despite federal and state laws that criminalise the killing and trading of protected species, an investigation by Premium Times and Mongabay has found.

In many cases, wildlife poachers and traffickers were not arrested or traced; most of those caught were not prosecuted, and the few charged to court were asked to pay small fines or serve short terms. Many returned to their businesses after, the report uncovered.

At the ports, traffickers who ferried tens of thousands of tonnes of elephant tusks, rhino ivory and pangolin scales worth several millions of dollars were mostly never traced. Of 63 total interceptions collated between 2010 and 2021, suspects in 52 of the cases were either not arrested or charged to court. Many cases were listed to be under "investigation" for years.

No suspect, amongst them Nigerians, Chinese, Malians, Guineans, and Ivorians, served a jail term over the last decade for illicit trafficking of animals. The government said it obtained four convictions in the last 11 years - three were awarded small fines.

The global illicit wildlife trade has grown rapidly in the last decade, pushing some species close to extinction. The World Bank estimates the trade at U.S.$7.8 billion to U.S.$10 billion a year, making wildlife crime the fourth most lucrative illegal business after narcotics, human trafficking, and weapons. Nigeria has emerged as a top source and transit country for illicit trade in ivory and pangolin scales, with smugglers attracted by its porous borders, corruption level, transport links to Asia, and poor law enforcement.