Customs Repatriates Rescued Baby Gorilla to Congo in Landmark Wildlife Operation
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has repatriated a rescued female baby gorilla, Bili, to the Republic of Congo, completing what it described as its first full-cycle international wildlife operation involving the interception, rescue, rehabilitation and return of a trafficked animal to its country of origin.
The operation, which took place between September 22 and 28, 2026, was coordinated by the Service’s Special Wildlife Office (SWO) under its Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), with Bili eventually transported from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to the Réserve Naturelle de Tchimpounga in the Département du Kouilou, Pointe-Noire, Congo.
Bili was rescued by Customs officers in August 2023 during enforcement operations targeting wildlife trafficking. Following her rescue, she was transferred to the care of the Pandrillus Foundation in Calabar, where she underwent rehabilitation and received specialised care.
The decision to return the gorilla to Congo followed a DNA test which established that Bili originated from the Republic of Congo.
Following the confirmation, arrangements were made to move her from Calabar to Lagos for the international leg of the journey. DHL subsequently transported the gorilla to Congo at no cost to the Service, with a caregiver and veterinary doctor accompanying her throughout the journey to ensure her safety and welfare.
The repatriation was carried out in accordance 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 and places strict controls on international trade involving them.
The Customs Service said Bili’s return demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to its obligations under CITES and highlighted the growing role of Customs in combating the illegal wildlife trade beyond its traditional revenue-collection responsibilities.
The Service said the operation also underscored the importance of collaboration between enforcement agencies, conservation organisations, international partners and the government of the animal’s country of origin in ensuring that rescued wildlife receives appropriate care and is eventually returned to suitable habitats.
The repatriation comes against the backdrop of intensified Customs enforcement against wildlife trafficking across Nigeria.
According to the Service, the Special Wildlife Office and various Customs Area Commands recorded 22 wildlife seizures between January and September 2026, rescued 699 live animals and arrested 11 suspects in connection with wildlife trafficking.
Among the seized items were 220 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, 48 elephant tusks and 219.05 kilogrammes of worked ivory. The enforcement operations were conducted across several locations, including Ogun, Kano, Borno/Yobe, Calabar, Taraba, Kaduna and Lagos.
The rescued animals included pangolins, primates, lion cubs, hyenas, crowned cranes, tortoises, gorillas and chimpanzees, reflecting the wide range of endangered and protected species targeted by traffickers.
In September alone, Customs officers also intercepted 440 African mud turtles and 90 ostrich chicks as part of operations aimed at curbing the illegal movement and trade in wildlife.
The Service said the arrests made during the operations had further strengthened its efforts to disrupt trafficking networks involved in the illegal exploitation and movement of endangered species.
Under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Service 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 Customs Service said its responsibilities extended beyond revenue generation to include national security and environmental protection, urging members of the public to provide information on suspected illegal wildlife trade to the nearest Customs formation.
Bili’s journey, from her interception in Nigeria in 2023 through rehabilitation in Calabar to her eventual return to Congo, marks a complete enforcement and conservation cycle and provides an example of how international cooperation can help rescue trafficked wildlife and return endangered animals to their appropriate environment.
