2 jailed for unlawful possession of elephant tusks, pangolin scales
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, convicted and sentenced two men, John Kanu and Obinna Eze, to four years imprisonment, for conspiracy and unlawful possession of 839.4kg of pangolin scales and 145kg of elephant tusks. Kanu and Eze were jailed by Justice Nicholas Oweibo after they pleaded guilty to the charges made against them by the Federal Operation Unit, Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos. The two convicts were arraigned alongside Anthony Onyebuchi and Monday Nnamanni, in an amended charge. The convicts and the two men had pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were formerly arraigned before the court. However, at the resumed hearing of the charge, yesterday, the two convicts informed the court of their intention to change their plea, which was granted by the court. The convicts and others were arrested as a result of a joint wildlife enforcement operations by Nigeria Customs and Wildlife Justice Commission, WJC, targeting illegal wildlife trade...