Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed Airport Command has arrested five people in connection with 3,765kg pangolin scales in Lekki, Lagos.

The Customs Area Comptroller of the command, Micheal Awe said the operation, which was with the support of the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), led to the arrest of the suspects involved in the illegal wildlife trade.

According to Awe, the 3,765kg pangolin scale seizures were the first major global seizure of its kind in 2025.

He noted that the seizure highlighted both the persistent threat to pangolin species and the heightened vigilance of the NCS in dismantling these criminal networks.

Also, the comptroller stressed that the current seizure raised the total amount of pangolin scales seized through the joint efforts of the NCS and WJC to over 25 tonnes since the start of the collaboration in 2021.

He said: “On the 2nd of April 2025, the NCS MMA Command under the leadership of Comptroller Micheal Awe, with the support of the WJC, conducted two major operations that led to the arrest of five suspects and the seizure of 3,765kg of pangolin scales in the Lekki area of Lagos.

“NCS has been continuing investigations into organised criminal networks trafficking in endangered wildlife and exporting wildlife products to Asia.

“This operation followed a recent bust of a major trafficking network in Nigeria that resulted in the arrest of a Chinese national Zheng Chao Hong, also known as Zheng Gao Peng, in February 2025 by the joint efforts of the Customs Police Unit and WJC.

“This seizure of 3,765kg of pangolin scales marks the first major global seizure of its kind in 2025, highlighting both the persistent threat to pangolin species and the heightened vigilance of the NCS in dismantling these criminal networks.

“Additionally, it raises the total amount of pangolin scales seized through the joint efforts of the NCS and WJC to over 25 tons since the start of the collaboration in 2021.”

Awe thanked WJC for its partnership with NCS , saying that the service will not relent in its efforts in fighting wildlife crime to a standstill, saying that the service won’t tolerate wildlife trafficking anywhere either through the Airports, Seaports, Land borders or even within the community.