On 15 January 2026, officers from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, intercepted a small boat transporting four live white-bellied pangolins along the Ajilete creeks in Ogun State, disrupting an active wildlife trafficking attempt. This operation is being called Operation Viva.
Acting on intelligence during a routine patrol, Customs officers stopped the vessel along Alapa Creek, prompting the suspected traffickers to flee into the creeks and abandon both the boat and the animals. The interception followed increased awareness of wildlife trafficking in the area, which the Comptroller of FOU Zone A attributed in part to Focused Conservation (FC) supported awareness visits conducted by Special Wildlife Office (SWO) officers.
Following the seizure, the Comptroller contacted the Head of the SWO, who coordinated the case moving forward. A Focused Conservation Technical Advisor helped initiate a rapid recovery plan in partnership with Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative in Lagos. Sadly, one pangolin succumbed to injuries sustained while in the hands of traffickers; the remaining animals are receiving care at the Greenfingers sanctuary.
The pangolins were formally handed over by Deputy Comptroller of Customs (Enforcement) Oluwaseun Oguntuase, on behalf of Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, for proper care and safekeeping. The operation highlights the growing effectiveness of coordinated enforcement, awareness, and post-seizure response efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade in Nigeria.
Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammals, and this interception underscores the importance of sustained collaboration between enforcement agencies and conservation partners to protect endangered species.
