Five remanded in court over export of N22.3bn pangolin scale

A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos has ordered the remand in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) five persons, who were accused of trying to export N22.3 billion worth of pangolin scale and elephant tusk.

The five accused persons include: four Guinea national and a Nigerian. Three of the accused who were present in court were arrested in Lagos in August 2021 by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service

The accused who were identified as Troare Djakonba, Muyribein Bereye, Mohammed Berete, Sediki Berete (Guinean) and Isiaka Musa were arraigned before Justice Tijjani Rigim of the Federal High Court, Lagos on a four count charge.

However, Muyribein Bereye and Sediki Berete were not in court as they were said to be on the run. But counsel to Nigeria Customs Service told the court that effort was ongoing to ensure their arrest and are made to answer charges in Court.

Meanwhile, all accused persons were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on collecting, loading, transporting and attempting to export N22.3 billion worth of pangolin scales and elephant tusk.

The charges brought against them in court were read in Manike language, a Guinean dialect by a translator. They however, pleaded not guilty to all four count charges.

The trial Judge, Justice Tijjani Rigim, ordered that the accused remain in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service until September 1, 2021, when a counter application for a bail application filed by the defense counsel is filed by NCS.

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