Nigeria Special Wildlife Office

Focused Conservation recently participated in the Multilateral Counter-Timber Trafficking Workshop held in Libreville, Gabon, following an invitation from the United States Department of State. The conference, which took place May 18–22, 2026, brought together international representatives to discuss illegal logging, transnational timber trafficking, deforestation, and the movement of illegally sourced timber from origin countries to […]

On April 22, 2026, in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, officers from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Borno/Yobe Command carried out a targeted vehicle stop on a suspect vehicle believed to be transporting illegal wildlife. The operation, now referred to as Operation Honda, resulted in the rescue of 20 live animals destined for the illegal wildlife

On April 9, 2026, a coordinated early morning operation in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, led to the rescue of multiple protected wildlife species and the arrest of a suspected trafficker. The operation was carried out by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Borno/Yobe Command and supported by the Nigeria Customs Service Special Wildlife Office (NSWO) and

On April 8, 2026, Focused Conservation supported a significant step forward in the fight against transnational wildlife crime in West and Central Africa. Focused Conservation Technical Advisor Danny Murphy, alongside Mani Anuhu, traveled to Cameroon to meet with senior officials from the Cameroon Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and the Program for the Sustainable Management

March 8, 2026 – Cross River State, Nigeria In a significant victory against illegal wildlife trafficking, the Nigeria Customs Service Special Wildlife Office (NSWO), in collaboration with the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park, successfully executed Operation Fiesta, resulting in the rescue of 43 live wild animals and the arrest of two suspects. Acting

On February 20, 2026, in Kano, Nigeria, a quiet piece of intelligence set in motion a high-risk operation that would once again demonstrate the growing strength of Nigeria’s fight against wildlife trafficking. Acting on intelligence developed by Focused Conservation, the Nigeria Customs Service Special Wildlife Office (SWO) launched a covert enforcement effort known as Operation

On February 12, 2026, officers from the Nigerian Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command, moved to intercept a motorcycle suspected of transporting illegal wildlife. As officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the rider abruptly abandoned the motorcycle and fled under cover of darkness into thick undergrowth. Despite an immediate search of the surrounding area, the

During the week of February 9–13, 2026, Focused Conservation continued its commitment to strengthening frontline wildlife crime enforcement by facilitating specialized intelligence training for Nigeria’s Customs Service Special Wildlife Office (SWO). The course was delivered by Andrew Kewley, a seasoned UK Intelligence Officer with 36 years of experience in criminal investigations and intelligence operations. Over

On 15 January 2026, officers from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, intercepted a small boat transporting four live white-bellied pangolins along the Ajilete creeks in Ogun State, disrupting an active wildlife trafficking attempt. This operation is being called Operation Viva. Acting on intelligence during a routine patrol, Customs officers

Wildlife traffickers will exploit anything—even myths. A recent trend in West Africa has seen pangolins marketed as “electric pangolins,” allegedly inspired by claims of pangolins in the Mojave Desert emitting electrical currents from their scaled bodies. While the scientific community remains skeptical, traffickers have sought to capitalize on the phenomenon for profit, putting more pressure