Nigeria Customs Service officials at the Mfum/Ekok border crossing with Cameroon in Cross River State, have arrested an Oyo State indigene (name withheld) with illegal wildlife, in what is perhaps the most significant wildlife interception in recent times.
Sources at the border, informed www.calitown.com that the suspect was intercepted with 213 parrot heads, 29 packs of parrot feathers, six eagle heads, one pack of eagle feathers, 128 African hornbill heads, two gorilla heads, four gorilla hands as well as four gorilla legs.
Officials of the Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, we were further informed, were called upon to help identify the wildlife species, and accordingly confirmed the identity of the wildlife listed. The trade of gorillas, parrots, hornbills and eagles is prohibited both by Nigerian and international law.
On interrogation, the suspect revealed that he was traveling from Cameroon to Nigeria and is believed to be conveying these species as part of an extensive ring of illegal wildlife traffickers who appear hell bent on pursuing the killing and illegal trade of these rare animals. At press time, the suspect had been taken into custody awaiting extensive follow up investigations.
