Nigeria Customs Repatriates Rescued Baby Gorilla to Congo

​In a landmark environmental milestone, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has successfully repatriated Bili, a rescued female baby gorilla, back to her native Republic of Congo.

​The high-profile transfer, executed between September 22 and 28, 2026, marks the country’s first full-cycle international wildlife operation, encompassing interception, specialized rehabilitation, and trans-border repatriation.

​Bili’s journey began in August 2023, when enforcement operatives intercepted her during an anti-wildlife trafficking raid. Following her rescue, she was placed in the protective care of the Pandrillus Foundation in Calabar, Cross River State. Subsequent DNA profiling confirmed her Congolese heritage, setting the legal and logistical groundwork for her homecoming.

​The complex operation was coordinated by the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) under the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), working in tandem with a coalition of international conservation bodies. Flown out of Lagos via a dedicated cargo flight managed by DHL at no cost to the government, Bili was accompanied by a professional caregiver and a veterinary doctor. She touched down in Pointe-Noire before being moved to the Réserve Naturelle de Tchimpounga to continue her rehabilitation and eventual reintroduction into the wild.

​Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, emphasized that the feat underscores Nigeria’s commitment to international conservation obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), where gorillas listed under Appendix I receive the highest tier of global protection.

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​“This operation demonstrates that Nigeria is not only enforcing its borders but also safeguarding the future of wildlife,” Adeniyi stated, while expressing gratitude to partners including the Pandrillus Foundation, Focused Conservation, the Aspinall Wildlife Trust, the CITES Desk of the Federal Ministry of Environment, and Congolese authorities.

​Parallel to Bili’s repatriation, the NCS reported an aggressive intensification of its anti-poaching and trafficking campaigns. Between January and September 2026, the SWO recorded 22 major wildlife seizures, rescued 699 live animals, and apprehended 11 suspects. Recovered contraband ranges from elephant tusks and pangolin scales to worked ivory, alongside live specimens such as lion cubs, hyenas, chimpanzees, crowned cranes, and tortoises. In September alone, enforcement teams intercepted 440 African mud turtles and 90 ostrich chicks.

​Reiterating the Service’s broader security mandate, Deputy Comptroller and National Public Relations Officer, Dr. Abdullahi Maiwada, noted that enforcement is being stepped up nationwide. The NCS has implored members of the public to treat wildlife preservation as a collective civic duty by reporting suspicious trafficking syndicates to the nearest customs formation.