The Seme Customs Command stopped a wildlife smuggling attempt and rescued a lion cub.
Officers also found two patas monkeys hidden in a vehicle and arrested two suspects.
The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has stopped an attempt to smuggle wildlife out of the country, rescuing a lion cub and two patas monkeys in the process.
The arrest was made at Gbaji along the Badagry Seme road in Lagos State. The animals, which are considered endangered, were hidden inside a vehicle and were being prepared for illegal export.
Two suspects were taken into custody. They were identified as Mathew Kofi, a citizen of Benin Republic, and Nasiru Usman Gwandu, a Nigerian. The two men claimed ownership of the animals and reportedly told officers that they bought them in Kano and planned to move them to the Benin Republic.
The Area Controller of the Seme Command, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, confirmed the operation. He said the action reflects the Command’s resolve to protect Nigeria’s wildlife and to obey the country’s commitments under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES.
Comptroller Adenuga explained that on Sunday, 16 November 2025, at about 2.19 in the morning, officers stopped a blue Mazda with registration number MUS 743 HA during a routine check at Gbaji. When the vehicle was searched, the team found a lion cub and two patas monkeys inside, which he described as a clear breach of wildlife protection laws both in Nigeria and internationally.
He stated that the animals were immediately confiscated and taken to the Command for proper records, while the two male suspects were detained for more questioning to determine their level of involvement in the trafficking attempt.
For their safety and professional care, the rescued animals were later handed over to the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative on Sunday, 16 November 2025. The handover was done by Deputy Comptroller A Y Mohammed, who represented Comptroller Adenuga during the process.
