Foreigners convicted for ivory trafficking

The foreigners, who were convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos are a Chinese, Mr Johnson Monday and a Malian, Diarra Fousseyni. The duo were nabbed by Officers of the Nigerian Customs Service in May 2013 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, while trying to smuggle out over 21 kilogrammes of processed ivory […]

The foreigners, who were convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos are a Chinese, Mr Johnson Monday and a Malian, Diarra Fousseyni.
The duo were nabbed by Officers of the Nigerian Customs Service in May 2013 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, while trying to smuggle out over 21 kilogrammes of processed ivory and elephant tusks.
They were subsequently handed over to NESREA and were slammed with two count criminal charge each by the Agency.
They were prosecuted before Hon. Justice Musa Kurya of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos by NESREA legal team led by the Director, Legal Services of the Agency, Barrister Alabo Wokoma.
Delivering judgment on the case on Monday July 8, Hon. Justice Kurya sentenced the offenders to six months imprisonment each with option of fine of N100,000 for each of the two count charges.
The judge also made an order repatriating the Malian and also the forfeiture of all the exhibits (worked pieces of ivory) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Trafficking in worked ivory is a contravention of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).  It is also an offence under the National Environmental (Protection of Endangered Species in International Trade) Regulation 2011.