The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has repatriated Bili, a rescued female baby gorilla, to the Republic of Congo, completing what it described as its first full-cycle international wildlife operation.
The operation, conducted between September 22 and 28, 2026, was coordinated by the Service’s Special Wildlife Office (SWO) under the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), taking Bili from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to the Réserve Naturelle de Tchimpounga in Pointe-Noire, Congo.
Bili was rescued by Customs officers in August 2023 during an enforcement operation against wildlife trafficking and subsequently placed under the care of the Pandrillus Foundation in Calabar for rehabilitation.
Following a DNA test that established that the gorilla originated from the Republic of Congo, arrangements were made for her return to her country of origin. She was transported from Calabar to Lagos and subsequently airlifted to Congo by DHL at no cost, accompanied by a caregiver and a veterinary doctor.
The repatriation was facilitated in line with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), with support from the CITES Management Authority under the Federal Ministry of Environment. Gorillas are listed under Appendix I of CITES, which provides the highest level of protection for species threatened with extinction.
The Customs Service said the successful operation marked the completion of the entire wildlife enforcement cycle interception, rescue, rehabilitation and international repatriation while highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to its international obligations on wildlife protection.
The development comes amid intensified efforts by the NCS to combat illegal wildlife trafficking. Between January and September 2026, the Special Wildlife Office and Customs Area Commands recorded 22 wildlife seizures, rescued 699 live animals and arrested 11 suspects.
Among the seizures recorded during the period were 220 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, 48 elephant tusks and 219.05 kilogrammes of worked ivory.
The Service also reported interventions involving pangolins, primates, lion cubs, hyenas, crowned cranes, tortoises, gorillas and chimpanzees across Ogun, Kano, Borno/Yobe, Calabar, Taraba, Kaduna, Lagos and other locations.
In September alone, Customs officers intercepted 440 African mud turtles and 90 ostrich chicks as part of ongoing operations against the illegal wildlife trade.
The NCS, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, acknowledged the support of the Pandrillus Foundation, DHL, Focused Conservation, the Aspinall Wildlife Trust, the CITES Desk of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Government of the Republic of Congo in ensuring Bili’s safe return.
The Service reaffirmed that its mandate extends beyond revenue generation to national security and environmental protection, while urging members of the public to provide information on suspected illegal wildlife trafficking to the nearest Customs formation.
