The Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor, says pangolins recently handed over to the agency in Kano and Akwa Ibom States reflect growing public support for wildlife conservation.
Pangolins, which are scaly, nocturnal mammals that feed on ants and termites, are endangered and protected by law because their populations are declining due to poaching and habitat loss.
According to a statement signed by the Agency’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor, a hunter in Akwa Ibom handed over two pangolins caught in his traps to NESREA, while Nigerian Customs Service officers in Kano handed over three pangolins suspected to be part of an illegal wildlife trade.
“In Akwa Ibom, a local hunter, Imo Etim, whose traps caught two pangolins instead of the grass-cutters he intended, promptly notified Prof. Olajumoke Morenikeji of the Pangolin Conservation Guild Nigeria (PCGN). Although one of the pangolins died, Imo Etim handed over both pangolins to the NESREA officials led by the State Coordinator, Mfon Nkanang. The two pangolins were thereafter officially handed over to the National Park Service.
“In a related development, officers of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service handed over one dead and two live pangolins suspected to be part of an illegal wildlife trade, to officials of the Agency led by an Assistant Director, Mr. Ismaila Thoulut Anamoh.
“The pangolins were subsequently taken by NESREA officials to Kano Zoological Garden officials and received by Hajiya Hafsah Bello Adam, the representative of the Kano State Zoological and Wildlife Management Agency (KAZOWMA),” the statement explained.
Barikor praised the hunter’s actions and the collaborative efforts of security agencies.
“These are positive indicators of awareness on wildlife conservation. In Akwa Ibom, when the hunter noticed they were pangolins, he didn’t look for buyers. Rather, he approached the right authorities to hand over the pangolins. That is a big win for conservation efforts in Nigeria,” he said.
He also warned, “We know some of these traffickers operate online through various social media platforms. What they must know is trafficking in wildlife is a criminal offence, whether carried out online or offline. It is prohibited under the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental (Control of Endangered Species in Domestic and International Trade) Regulations 2025, and we will take action against that.”
Barikor reaffirmed NESREA’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and protecting endangered species, urging the public to report wildlife crimes.
