Nigeria has incinerated four tons of confiscated pangolin scales, with an estimated value of $1.4 million, marking the first public destruction of seized wildlife products in an effort to deter illegal trafficking, as confirmed by officials.
The pangolin, a reclusive and critically endangered species, ranks among the most heavily trafficked mammals globally. Its scales are in high demand within traditional Chinese medicine, although there’s no credible scientific evidence supporting any medicinal properties.
Nigeria has emerged as a significant transit point for the trafficking of African pangolin scales and various other wildlife products destined for Asia.
“The destruction of these seized items is a powerful statement of our resolve to protect our environment, conserve our wildlife, and combat the illegal trade that drives species to the brink of extinction,” Aliyu Jauro, the director-general of the National Environmental Standards Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) told reporters after Monday’s operation.
In May, two individuals were sentenced to prison for unlawfully possessing pangolin scales and elephant tusks.
In 2022, Nigerian customs officials confiscated 1,613 tonnes of pangolin scales and apprehended 14 individuals, according to NESREA.
Pangolin populations have experienced a decline of up to 80% in certain regions of Africa in recent years. Seizures of pangolin scales, primarily originating from Africa, surged tenfold between 2014 and 2018, as reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
