The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has repatriated a female baby gorilla named Bili, to the Republic of Congo after a three-year rehabilitation programme.
NCS’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja said Billi was repatriated after a DNA test confirmed her origin.
Maiwada said the gorilla rescued at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, was repatriated in an exercise conducted by the service’s Special Wildlife Office (SWO) under the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28.
He said the operation was the service’s first international full-cycle wildlife operation, covering interception, rescue, rehabilitation and safe return of a trafficked animal to the Réserve Naturelle de Tchimpounga in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo.
He said Bili was rescued by Customs officers in August 2023 during an enforcement operation against wildlife trafficking and was subsequently placed under the care of the Pandrillus Foundation in Calabar for rehabilitation.
“After a DNA test confirmed Bili is from the Republic of Congo, officials arranged his repatriation from Calabar to Lagos, then airlifted her to the Congo by DHL at no cost, accompanied by a caregiver and a veterinary doctor.
“In line with the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the repatriation was supported by the CITES Management Authority under the Federal Ministry of Environment.
“The gorilla, Bili, is listed under Appendix I of CITES and is therefore afforded the highest level of protection as a species threatened with extinction.
“Moreover, as a signatory to CITES, Nigeria continues to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of endangered species and the responsible enforcement of international wildlife protection obligations,” he said
He assured that NCS remained committed to strengthening its enforcement capabilities to disrupt wildlife trafficking networks, as well as building partnerships to ensure rescued animals received proper care and were safely returned to their natural habitats.
According to him, Bili’s repatriation represents the culmination of efforts involving interception, rescue, rehabilitation and international cooperation to protect endangered wildlife amid intensified enforcement against illegal wildlife trade.
“Between January and September, the SWO and Customs Area Commands recorded 22 wildlife seizures, rescued 699 live animals and arrested 11 suspects.
“The seizures included 220 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, 48 elephant tusks and 219.05 kilogrammes of worked ivory, alongside various live endangered and protected species intercepted across different locations.
“Enforcement operations during the period included seizures and rescues in Ogun, Kano, Borno/Yobe, Calabar, Taraba, Kaduna, and Lagos, among other locations,” he said.
He added that notable interventions included the rescue of pangolins, primates, lion cubs, hyenas, crowned cranes, tortoises, gorillas and chimpanzees, as well as the interception of 440 African mud turtles and 90 ostrich chicks in September.
The operations, he said, also led to arrests linked to wildlife trafficking, further demonstrating the service’s sustained efforts to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade.
He said the service, under the leadership of the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi and his management team, acknowledges the invaluable support of the Pandrillus Foundation, DHL, Focused Conservation, and the Aspinall Wildlife Trust.
He also acknowledged the support of the CITES Desk of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Government of the Republic of Congo for welcoming Bili home.
Maiwada reaffirmed that the NCS was focused not only on revenue generation but also on national security and environmental protection, urging the public to report suspected illegal wildlife trade to the nearest Customs formation.
