The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) says recent handovers of pangolins in Kano and Akwa Ibom demonstrate growing public awareness and support for wildlife conservation in Nigeria.
Mrs. Nwamaka Ejiofor, NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, stated this in a release issued on Monday in Abuja.
In Akwa Ibom, a local hunter, Imo Etim, discovered two pangolins caught in traps set for grass-cutters. Upon realising the species, he immediately contacted Prof. Olajumoke Morenikeji of the Pangolin Conservation Guild Nigeria (PCGN).
Ejiofor said one pangolin later died, while the hunter handed both animals over to NESREA officials led by State Coordinator Mr. Mfon Nkanang. The pangolins were subsequently transferred to the National Park Service.
Separately, officers of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service handed over two live pangolins and one dead pangolin to NESREA, suspected to be part of an illegal wildlife trade network.
NESREA officials, led by Assistant Director Mr. Ismaila Anamoh, received the animals, which were later taken to the Kano Zoological Garden office and received by Hafsah Adam of the Kano State Zoological and Wildlife Management Agency (KAZOWMA).
NESREA Director-General, Prof. Innocent Barikor, commended the Akwa Ibom hunter’s responsible action and the collaborative efforts of security agencies in Kano.
“In Akwa Ibom, when the hunter realised the animals were pangolins, he did not attempt to sell them. Instead, he contacted the appropriate authorities and handed them over. This is a major gain for conservation in Nigeria,” Barikor said.
He attributed the Kano success to strong inter-agency collaboration in combating wildlife trafficking.
Barikor warned that wildlife trafficking—whether conducted physically or via social media platforms—remains a serious criminal offence under the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental (Control of Endangered Species in Domestic and International Trade) Regulations 2025.
He reaffirmed NESREA’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and protecting endangered species, urging the public to support conservation by promptly reporting wildlife crimes to relevant authorities.
The incidents highlight increasing community involvement and inter-agency coordination in safeguarding Nigeria’s biodiversity, particularly for critically endangered species like the pangolin, which faces severe threats from poaching and illegal trade.
