BY EMMA PETER, ABUJA
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has repatriated Bili, a rescued female baby gorilla, to the Republic of Congo, completing what it described as its first international full-cycle wildlife operation involving interception, rescue, rehabilitation and return of a trafficked animal.
According to a press statement by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, made available to journalists in Abuja and obtained by Oxford Reporters, the repatriation exercise was conducted between September 22 and 28, 2026, through the Service’s Special Wildlife Office (SWO) under the Customs Intelligence Unit.
The statement said Bili was rescued by Customs officers in August 2023 during enforcement operations against wildlife trafficking and subsequently placed under the care of the Pandrillus Foundation in Calabar for rehabilitation.
It explained that a DNA test later established that the gorilla originated from the Republic of Congo, leading to arrangements for her return from Calabar through Lagos to the Réserve Naturelle de Tchimpounga in the Kouilou Department of Pointe-Noire.
Bili was airlifted to Congo by DHL at no cost to the authorities, accompanied by a caregiver and a veterinary doctor, while the repatriation was supported by the CITES Management Authority under the Federal Ministry of Environment.
The Customs Service noted that gorillas are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which provides the species with the highest level of international protection because of the threat of extinction.
The Service said the successful return of Bili demonstrated Nigeria’s continued commitment to its obligations under CITES and its broader efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade.
It added that the operation reflected the growing capacity of the Special Wildlife Office to work with domestic and international partners to disrupt wildlife trafficking networks, rescue endangered animals, provide appropriate rehabilitation and facilitate their safe return to their countries of origin.
The statement further disclosed that enforcement against illegal wildlife trafficking had intensified across the country, with the Special Wildlife Office and Customs Area Commands recording 22 wildlife seizures between January and September 2026.
Within the period, Customs officers rescued 699 live animals and arrested 11 suspects, while seizures included 220 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, 48 elephant tusks and 219.05 kilogrammes of worked ivory.
The enforcement operations were carried out in several locations, including Ogun, Kano, Borno/Yobe, Calabar, Taraba, Kaduna and Lagos, among others.
According to the Service, notable interventions during the period 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.
Customs said the operations also resulted in arrests connected to wildlife trafficking, describing the development as part of its sustained efforts to dismantle networks involved in the illegal trade in endangered and protected species.
The Service, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and its management team, acknowledged the contributions 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 to the successful repatriation.
It said the operation underscored the evolving responsibilities of the Customs Service beyond revenue collection to include national security, environmental protection and the enforcement of international commitments on endangered wildlife.
The Service consequently urged members of the public to provide information on suspected cases of illegal wildlife trafficking to the nearest Customs formation.
