S’Africa Arrests Two Nigerians Over 17 Rhino Horns Trafficking
South African authorities have arrested two Nigerians, aged 34 and 35, after they attempted to ship 17 rhino horns along with tiger and lion bones, claws, and skulls weighing a total of 81.6kg. The suspects were arraigned before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on December 3, 2025, and face charges under South Africa’s biodiversity laws, which ban activities involving threatened or protected species.
The arrests followed a multi-agency operation led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s Wildlife Trafficking Section, with support from the Border Management Authority, SARS Customs, and other tactical units. Officials described the seizure as a major breakthrough in disrupting a shipment bound for the illegal Southeast Asian wildlife market.
Investigators traced the contraband to a storage facility in Kempton Park after a suspicious consignment originally sent to Singapore was flagged and returned. Inside four boxes, authorities found 17 rhino horns weighing 55.4kg and an additional 26.2kg of lion and tiger parts.
The investigation remains active, with officials not ruling out further arrests. The BMA Commissioner, Michael Masiapato, praised the coordinated effort and reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to combating wildlife trafficking, which he said threatens national biodiversity and fuels organised crime.
If convicted, the suspects will join other Nigerians previously sentenced in South Africa for trafficking-related offences.
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