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| Nigerian Trafficker at wildlife office |
A Nigerian national has been arrested in
Bertoua in the East Region for illegal possession and commercialization of
elephant ivory tusks and pangolin scales. The 43 year-old was arrested during
an operation carried out by officials of the East Regional Delegation of
Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with the Gendarmerie. The Last Great Ape
Organisation – LAGA provided technical assistance during the operation.
He
had boarded a taxi with the contraband goods loaded in the boot and as he
stopped, stepped out and was heading towards a bar, he was met by wildlife officials.
The East Regional Chief of Wildlife, AzemteMbemo Alain Patrice who led the
operation declared to the press: “the suspect had hired a taxi and was heading
for a transaction with a client when we stopped him. He tried to resist but was
quickly brought under control by the gendarme officers who were assisting us.
He was later taken to our office. The operation was carried out thanks to the
collaboration with the Non Governmental Organisation, LAGA that assists us in
busting wildlife trafficking networks”.
The
suspect was found with five bags containing 12 ivory tusks and over 200 kg of
giant pangolin scales which are part of protected wildlife species according to
the 1994 wildlife law in Cameroon. According to AzemteMbemo, the man is known
to law officials and is suspected to have been trafficking wildlife species
since 2013. He was born in Bertoua and masters the region very well. He passes
for car spare parts dealer as a cover for his illegal activities but his shop
rarely had any car parts.
His
principal clients are Chinese buyers and he had a list of Chinese contacts and
names which indicate the extent of his business and professionalism. According
to sources close to the case, he buys the products from poachers in the East
but equally in Congo and Gabon and then sells to Chinese and Nigerian buyers
while also transporting the products to Nigeria. The buyers come from Yaounde
and Douala. He owns a storeroom close to
GarouaBoula where he keeps the products according to sources.
The
illegal trade in pangolin scales is fast becoming a huge problem for wildlife
officials and in a bid to arrest this situation the Minister of Forestry and
Wildlife, Ngole Philip Ngwese, signed a
circular letter in June 2013, suspending the issuing of permits enabling the
circulation of pangolin species in the country. Law enforcement efforts are being focused to
hamper the trade and this operation is one of several others that have been
carried out within the last couple of years under the framework of the
convention signed between the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and The Last
Great Ape Organisation (LAGA).
International
partners are equally engaging efforts in this direction. And one of such
initiatives is the Mentor PoP Fellowship Programme of the US Fish and Wildlife
service that seeks to train emerging conservation leaders from some five
Central African countries and Vietnam to develop their capacity for pangolin
conservation. These are young and dedicated people who are currently in Yaounde
undergoing the mentor.
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