S’Africa arrests two Nigerians for 17 rhino horns trafficking

NiDCOM DG, Dabiri-Erewa. Photo: File

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Two Nigerians attempting to transport 17 rhino horns, as well as tiger and lion claws, bones and skulls weighing 81.6 kilograms, to another country have been arrested by South African authorities.

Although their names were not disclosed, a Wednesday report by South African news outlet Novanews, seen by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, stated that the suspects were aged 34 and 35.

While the duo were arraigned and appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the monetary value of the seized items had not been disclosed pending the conclusion of ongoing forensic and official valuation processes.

“They face serious charges related to the contravention of Section 57(1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004), which strictly prohibits restricted activities involving listed threatened or protected species,” the report added.

The arrest was led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Wildlife Trafficking Section, following a multi-agency raid involving the Border Management Authority and the South African Revenue Service Customs.

The report stated that the authorities involved in the arrest described the seizure as a breakthrough in intercepting a consignment destined for the illegal Southeast Asian market.

The operation, the report added, was carried out with critical support from Tracker Connect, the Gauteng South African Police Service Tactical Response Team, and the Gauteng SAPS Airwing.

Citing a BMA statement released last Thursday, the report stated that the investigation began after a suspicious consignment originally dispatched to Singapore was identified and returned to its sender in South Africa.

The statement read, “Investigative teams traced the shipment to a storage facility in Kempton Park [in Gauteng]. Upon execution of the search, four boxes were identified and thoroughly examined.

“Inside the boxes, officials uncovered 17 rhino horns weighing 55.4 kilograms, along with 26.2 kilograms of lion and tiger bones, skulls and claws.”

The report added that multi-agency investigation remains highly active, “and authorities have not ruled out additional arrests as they pursue all leads and deepen cooperation with both domestic and international partners.”

The Commissioner of the BMA, Michael Masiapato, commended the agencies involved for their seamless coordination.

“He reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to combating wildlife trafficking, stressing that the crime severely threatens South Africa’s natural heritage and fuels organised criminal networks,” the report noted.

If found guilty, the suspects will join other Nigerians who were previously convicted of trafficking-related offences in South Africa.

One such convict, according to a PUNCH Metro report on August 28, is Chinedu Obasi, who received an 18-year jail term for human trafficking and entering into a fraudulent marriage to secure residency.

Uthman, a Mass Communication graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has over six years experience in journalism. He reports crime to community-related news for Metro, business with a focus on the capital market and the oil and gas.

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