Nigeria seizes 1,600 birds in 'largest' wildlife-trafficking bust

August 6, 2025 | By Staff Reporter

Nigeria has made what officials are calling the largest wildlife trafficking bust in the country's history, seizing more than 1,600 birds destined for restaurants in cities across the nation.

"This is by far the largest single seizure of endangered birds in Nigeria," said Kenneth Ogumbek, a spokesman for the country's National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency .

The birds, including endangered species of oriole and wagtail, were packed into three airplanes arriving from Accra, Ghana, and were headed to restaurants in Abuja, Kano, and Lagos.

"Restaurant owners and their customers are the main victims here, as they've been deprived of a popular menu item," Ogumbek said.

The birds were transported to a government-run wildlife center for care and will be reintroduced into the wild, Ogumbek said.